Sign the Petition

Have you heard the latest news on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese using food dye, namely yellow #5 and #6 in their products marketed towards kids? Did you know that these dyes are petroleum based, and albeit deemed safe by the FDA, are known to cause attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in children? Did you know that Kraft makes a special brand for their European Consumers without food dye, as a warning label stating the above mentioned health risks must be put on any product containing food dye in Europe?

Over 270,000 Americans have signed a petition asking Kraft to give the American Consumer the same respect that they offer those in Europe, by removing food dye to their products, especially those that are targeted to our children. Over two weeks passed and Kraft finally made a statement that we do not want our Kraft Macaroni and Cheese to change. I do not know who "we" are and neither do the leaders of this campaign, Vani Hari (Foodbabe.com) and Lisa Leake (100daysofrealfood.com). 

What can you do? Please sign the petition asking Kraft to remove food dye from their Macaroni and Cheese at:  http://www.change.org/petitions/kraft-stop-using-dangerous-food-dyes-in-our-mac-cheese.

Also, boycott products made by and owned by Kraft. An in-depth list can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Kraft_brands. Wow, when you see this list you'll almost think there is nothing safe left to buy at the grocery store, but wait just a minute. Make a statement with your wallet. Shop at the closest health food store near you, like Good Harvest Market (Pewaukee), Health Hut (Bluemound Rd. and Hwy 100), Whole Foods Market (East Side), Outpost Natural Foods (East Side, Wauwatosa, Bayview) and Trader Joes (Bayshore and Bluemound). Organic produce is not owned by "big manufacturing" and these stores offer many organic products that come from companies with integrity. 

Hopefully together we can change the climate of our food and health industry. I do not want to be and/or eat a science experiment made in a lab. Maybe we can one day understand that good, healthy, food does cost a little bit more, but an investment into our food now could save us thousands in health care costs as we age. Before you buy the latest and greatest cell phone or upgrade to digital cable with HBO, consider how that money could be put to your health. We owe it to ourselves to treat our bodies with respect.  

Playgroup Recipes

Elia and Lily have been attending Playgroup at Prairie Hill Waldorf School, where they will eventually attend school. We love the school atmosphere, love the focus put on the children, and also appreciate their take on whole foods. Every day of Playgroup starts out with the kids (and parents) helping prepare our snack for the day. Attached are the amazing recipes that were shared with us. I have only been lucky enough to try the Tricky Quesadillas and Baked Oatmeal, but I was told that the Stone Soup and Banana Pumpkin Muffins were amazing! I have made both the Tricky Quesadillas and Baked Oatmeal at home. I make about 12 quesadillas worth and freeze them individually. Whether it's lunch or dinner I just throw them in an oven and let the oven get to 350...they're usually done by then. The Baked Oatmeal is so amazing, especially drizzled with some maple syrup...what a way to start the day!

Morning Glory Playgroup

Recipes for Autumn 2012

Week One: Dragon Bread and Butter

(Whole Wheat Dough for Breadsticks, Rolls, Pizza, Pretzels, Cinnamon Buns, Dragon Bread)

Ingredients:

1 ½ Tablespoons Yeast

1 ½ Tablespoons Sucanat (found in health food stores)

2 cups Warm Water

3 Tablespoons Oil

5 cups Flour (1/2 Whole Wheat and ½ unbleached White)

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Dissolve the yeast in warm water.  Add the sucanat.  Let rest until bubbly.  Add the oil to the liquid.  Stir into the flour mixture and knead.  Add flour as needed. Either, (1) roll into buns, (2) form pretzels, sprinkling the finished product with kosher salt, (3) make cinnamon rolls by rolling the dough into a snake.  Form the snakes into a spiral, then finish by placing a pat of butter on top and sprinkling with cinnamon. (4) roll out flat and pinch into a pizza crust, pouring organic tomato sauce on top and sprinkling with cheese. (5) form into dragons with raisins or almonds for eyes, scales, etc.

Week Two: Millet Porridge

Ingredients:

1 ½ C  Millet (hearty grain with protein found often in bulk section of health food stores)

3 C Warm Water

3 T Yogurt, whey, kefir or buttermilk

¾ t Sea Salt

3 T butter (or more)

Instructions:  Place millet in warm water and yogurt mixture.  Leave in a warm place overnight or at least 7 hours.  Bring to a boil, skimming off the residue that rises to the surface.  Reduce the heat, stir in salt and butter.  Cover tightly.  Without removing lid, cook over lowest possible heat for about 45 minutes.  Serve with maples syrup, nuts and seeds (optional).

Week Three: Rice with Spice

Ingredients:

1 C Rice

2 C Water

3 T Butter

4 Cloves of garlic

Spike Seasoning to taste

Braggs Amino Acids to taste

Instructions:   Cook rice with butter, crushed garlic, Braggs and some Spike.  Once done, add more Spike or Braggs to taste.

Week Four: Tricky Quesadillas

This is a spin off of the recipes from Jessica Seinfeld’s “Deceptively Delicious” recipe where vegetables such as squash and carrots are pureed and hidden in your meals!

Ingredients:

1C Shredded Cheese

1C Orange Puree (Squash, carrots, sweet potato, etc)

¼ t salt

½ - 1 t Garlic Powder

4 oz Cream Cheese

6 large Tortillas (use your favorites!)

To make puree – bake or steam your vegetables, puree in food processor using the water from steaming or cooking to create a spreadable consistency.  Refrigerate or freeze unused portions.

Spread cream cheese, then puree on tortilla.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese and fold in half or top with another tortilla.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes and enjoy!

You can add beans, onions, etc and the children will STILL love them!  The puree is easy to freeze and re-use.  We add it to our homemade mac-n-cheese.

Week Five: Pumpkin Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

¼ teaspoon Sea Salt

1 cup Pumpkin, cooked & mashed, or canned

¼ cup Olive Oil

½ - 1 cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

½ teaspoon Nutmeg

2 ripe Bananas, mashed

¼ cup Maple Syrup

1 teaspoon Vanilla

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients together.  Mix wet ingredients together, then combine with the dry ingredients and add nuts.  Bake in oiled loaf pan for 45-50 minutes.   The batter can also be placed in a cupcake pan for 20 minutes, or until done.  Cool and eat with yummy  dragon butter!

Week Six: Pizza with Red Sauce

See Week One for the recipe.

Week Seven:  Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

3 C Oats

½ C Oil

¾ C Sucanat or 10 – 15 drops liquid stevia (Sweet Leaf Vanilla is my favorite)

3 eggs

1 ½ C Milk ( we use coconut milk)

½ t Salt

1 T Baking Powder

Instructions:   Mix together wet ingredients, adding dry ingredients with the oats last.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Bake in a buttered pan for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Week Eight: Stone Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups Broth

1 Tablespoon Butter

Seasonings to taste

Friends with vegetables to share

Instructions:  Bring broth to boil and add butter to flavor.  Cut the vegetables into bite-size pieces and simmer until the vegetables are tender.  Season and serve.

 Week Nine: Healthy Harvest Cookies

Ingredients:

1 C Sucanat

1 C Cooked Mashed Sweet Potato

1/4 C Oil

1/4  C Applesauce

1/4  Tsp Ground Cloves or Allspice

1 Egg

1 C Oatmeal

1 C Flour

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Apple, Finely Chopped (optional)

Instructions:  Mix together the Sucanat, Sweet Potato, oil and applesauce. Add the remaining ingredients. Teaspoonful on to greased baking sheet. Bake 15-25 minutes at 350.

Week Ten:  Cheese, Crackers, and Apples

Week Eleven: Apple Gingerbread with Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup unbleached Flour

½ cup Whole Wheat Flour

2 teaspoons Ground Ginger

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

¼ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon Ground Allspice

1/3 cup Grapeseed Oil

1 Egg

2/3 cup Sucanat

3 Tablespoons Molasses

½ cup Plain Yogurt

1 ½ cups Chopped Apples

Instructions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour an 8 inch square baking pan.  Stir together the flours, ginger, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.  In another bowl, beat the oil and egg until combined.  Add the sucanat and molasses and beat until combined.  Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the yogurt.  Stir in the apples.  Spoon the batter into the baking pan.  Bake 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan.  Cut into 9 squares.

Our Favorite Cookie Recipe

Just because you're eating unprocessed organic food doesn't mean you can't be a Cookie Monster! I have two little Cookie Monsters living with me...or Tootie Tootie Monsters, per Lily! Here's my favorite recipe, courtesy of my sister, which I've adapted slightly to be just what I want. They end up more like little granola cookies, but we love them.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Honey - I use Raw
3 Tbsps Organic Butter (Room Temperature)
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Egg (Room Temperature) or 1 Tbsp Ground Flax + 3 Tbsp Water
1/2 Cup Organic Whole Wheat Flour
1-1/2 Cups Organic Oats
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Baking Soda (Non-Aluminum)
Additional:  Raisins, Chopped Raw Nuts, Dark Chocolate Chips, Apple Juice Sweetened Cranberries, Hemp Seeds, Ground Chia Seeds, Unsweetened Shredded Coconut, etc.

Preheat your oven to 350F. Mix your wet ingredients then slowly add in your dry ingredients. I gently mix in the additional items, then form into 1/2 Tbsp size balls. They will be sticky, but squeeze them and they'll stick together. I bake on reusable parchment for about 12-15 minutes then set out to cool. Like I said, they make a dense granola-like cookie, but how can you go wrong with such good ingredients?!?! Have your organic carrot and a cookie too!

Cheesy Crackers

Today, while I perused Kiwi magazine, I found some amazing recipes. Every time I look at this magazine I find great ideas, so it is definitely on my Christmas list...but this copy I could not take with me...so I snapped pictures of the recipes! First recipe to try was the homemade crackers, which are great for getting the kiddos involved! They're a perfect cracker for everyday snacking, but would also make a great snack at a holiday get together or wine tasting party.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1-3/4 Cups Grated Cheese (I use my favorite...Cedar Grove Marbled Colby)
• 6 Tbsps Chilled Butter
• 1 Tbsp Ground Flaxseeds (Amazing to have on hand to add to smoothies, etc. and in case you need an egg in a recipe and don't have one...1 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 Tbsps water)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2-4 Tbsps Ice Water
• All Purpose Herb Mix (if you want-I use the Frontier Organic brand)

Preheat oven to 400. Start by pulsing flour, cheese, butter, flaxseeds, spice mixture and salt in food processor until you have a sandy consistency. Elia is in charge of pulsing and dumping ingredients in. Then begin by adding 2 Tbsps of water and pulse until you get a dough that comes together and will hold when mashed between your fingers. Add more water if needed, remembering you don't want the dough to feel sticky. Then roll out on a floured surface, prick with a fork to prevent from puffing up a lot and cut out shapes with little cookie cutters (you don't want really big crackers here). Place on parchment or wax paper lined pans and bake for 12-14 minutes, until lightly golden. Let them cool and then eat at room temperature. The recipe recommends not putting them in an airtight container as they can get soggy. I've tried making homemade crackers in the past, very similar recipe, but the girls did not like them. These are amazingly good and Lily likes asking for a "star cookie". I will definitely make these again.