Category — Foodwise

With Thanksgiving only a week away, you probably started to plan some dessert options for your holiday outings. Without a doubt, there is nothing better (or more festive) than pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Instead of making your traditional pie, opt for this delicious, vegan, and easy-to-make alternative that will be a sure hit among family and friends. You can add ingredients such as tofu cream cheese, raw cashews, and lemon juice to give your pie a healthier twist.

This recipe comes from vegan chef, Kathy Patalsky. For more tips and recipes, visit her blog.

Pure Pumpkin Pie

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

8 ounces tofu cream cheese
30 ounces (about 3¾ cups) canned Pumpkin Pie Mix, like this organic pumpkin mix
1¼ cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 6 hours or overnight in salted water and drained
3 tablespoons lemon or orange juice
2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)
2 graham cracker piecrusts

Handful of cashews for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375º.
2. Drain the nuts and set aside. Also set aside about 15-20 cashews for garnish.
3. In a food processor, add tofu cream cheese, pumpkin pie mix, cashews, cinnamon, and lemon or orange juice. Process until combined.
4. Pour your mixture into your two piecrusts.
5. Swirl and smooth top with fork. Add cashews around the edge and center for garnish.
7. Bake for 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center to make sure it comes out clean. Let it cool for 20 minutes, and then put into refrigerator to chill before serving.

*For a sweeter taste, you can drizzle warm maple syrup or add a dollop of vegan soy or rice whipped cream.

Makes 2 pies, 9 servings per pie
Per serving: Calories 220, protein 3 g, fat 9 g, carbohydrates 33 g, dietary fiber 7g

-Amanda, KIWI intern

They call the egg incredible for a reason—it’s a tasty, quick-cooking source of filling protein, and contains hard-to-get vitamin D. What’s more, eggs are rich in choline, a nutrient that’s essential for healthy brain function. But when you add gobs of mayo to these yellow and white powerhouses, as is done in traditional egg salad, all those health benefits are sort of cancelled out. A better idea: Get the same creamy texture—plus a fun green hue—with heart-healthy avocado.
Green egg salad

Prep time: 5 minutes

6 large hardboiled eggs (organic, if possible), sliced in quarters
½ large avocado, diced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mash with a fork until well-combined and the eggs are in small pieces. Season to taste, and serve alone, in a sandwich, or in lettuce cups.

Serves 3 to 4
Per serving: Calories 148, fat 11 g, protein 10 g, carbohydrates 3 g, dietary fiber 2 g

As the holidays are approaching, it’s time to start thinking about buying gifts for your family, friends, and co-workers.  I love buying gifts for others but I always have such a hard time figuring out what to get everyone (I’m sure many of you have this same problem!). This year, I want to try to do something different and not give everyone the same old gifts like I do every year. I thought about giving different types of gift sets, and as I was looking online I came across Boulder’s Best Organics.  Not only did the website have great gift sets, but everything in them was local, organic, and eco-friendly.  What could be better than that?!  They also offer a line of organic and eco-friendly products for kids, including Clementine Art all-natural and non-toxic crayons and Goddess Garden 80% Organic Sunscreen.  Now, you can get something for everyone on your list!

My favorite part about the website was that if you didn’t like any of the pre-made gift sets they had, then you could customize your own basket!  You can even add a personalized message inside each gift set. The gift sets feature leading organic brands of food, personal care items, and other products.  All of this comes inside a Boulder’s Best Organics keepsake gift box!  I cannot wait to start ordering these gift sets for all my friends and family because they have something for everyone.  Just visit bouldersbestorganics.com to start ordering your holiday gifts today!

Also be sure to also check out Boulder’s Best Organics on Facebook and join their fan page!

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

Can a vacation with the family be green and healthy—and still fun? Yes! Last week, I went on a (chilly) New England vacation, and did my best to make it a low-impact trip. Here are a few tips for families who want to do the same:

1. Find an eco-friendly hotel. Not always possible, of course, but we had the luxury of being hosted by the beautiful and eco-friendly Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, for two nights. No greenwashing here: After a big renovation a couple of years ago, the hotel is green from the inside out. There are plenty of green choices guests don’t necessarily see (vegetable heating oil, room keys made out of compostable material, low VOC paint), and others it’s really fun to learn about, like the Inn’s commitment to native plants and to being a Butterfly Sanctuary. In the summer, kids can take part in a Bug’s Life program, where they learn about butterflies, eco systems, and protecting the environment. And they do it while dressed like bugs. How fun is that? (By the way, the Inn is also super dog friendly: Penny, who you can see above wondering why we’re back inside when there’s a beach to run on, was treated like royalty.)

2. Eat local. Short of bringing along your CSA share, it can be hard to eat healthfully and low-impact on the road. Instead of stopping at a familiar chain restaurant, find out where the locals eat—chances are, it’s because the food is fresher. It’s easier than you think to get an inside scoop: My husband is the master of asking every shopkeeper, museum guard, and guy walking his dog where we should eat. We always end up somewhere interesting, and more often than not, the food is fresh and tasty.

3. Bring—or rent—a bike. Sightseeing and exercise all in one: You cover a lot more ground than walking. Find a bike for everyone in the family at a local bike shop—and don’t forget the helmets!

—Sarah, KIWI editorial director

What’s better than beans? When it comes to planet-friendly veggie protein, not much. They’re incredibly versatile (chickpeas in hummus, navy beans in soup, kidney beans in curry), and super nutritious: A cup of cooked beans offers 10 to 17 grams of protein, 9 to 17 grams of fiber, plus important minerals like calcium, iron, and potassium. What’s more, they’re full of health-promoting antioxidants—black beans, especially. Which is great, because these little onyx gems are deeeelicious when made into refried beans, then scooped into tacos, nachos, or salads.

Refried beans often get a bad rap: Their name implies that they’re fried, and traditional recipes often call for pork or lard—neither of which are particularly healthy (though a little of either once in a while is probably fine, so if you find yourself at an authentic Mexican eatery, please just get the refried beans. You won’t regret it!). In reality, refried beans aren’t fried, and there’s really no need to add meat at all. I promise, they’re just as tasty without, garnering plenty of flavor from sauteed onions, garlic, and cumin.

I usually make my refried beans from dried beans, since I like to use some of the cooking liquid to add moisture to the refried beans without tons of fat. Of course, that adds a couple of hours to the overall cooking time—so if you’re in a hurry, you can use canned and sub vegetable stock or water.

Easy refried beans
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, shredded in a food processor
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced (optional)
1 tablespoon cumin
4 cups cooked black beans
1/2 to 1 cup cooking liquid from the beans, or water or vegetable stock
Salt, to taste

1. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and salt to taste and saute 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft and translucent.
2. Add the garlic, serrano chile if using, and cumin. Cook 1-2 minutes more.
3. Pour in about 1/4 cup of the bean cooking liquid, stirring the onion mixture around for a minute. Add the black beans and salt to taste.
4. While in the pan, mash beans with a potato masher until you reach a creamy consistency, and there are no whole beans left. If the mixture begins to look dry, continue adding liquid. Cook 5 to 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally and adding liquid as needed.
5. Serve hot in tacos, burritos, fajitas, or over nachos. Or, let come to room temperature and toss in a salad.

Serves 6
Per serving: Calories 218, fat 7 g, protein 10 g, carbohydrates 29 g, fiber 10 g

-Marygrace, staff writer

I get a lot of emails, and I mean a lot. A lot as in I start to feel panicky that my email system has crashed when I don’t hear the ding! of a new message at least once a minute. Sure, it can be a little overwhelming, and yes, I do now fall asleep still hearing the ding! in my head, but if it weren’t for all the random emails I get, how else would I hear about all the awareness I need to be, well, aware of? And while many awareness months do serious work in raising awareness about serious things (National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, for one), there are some not-so-serious ones that are just plain funny. Case in point: Did you know that September 19^th is Talk Like a Pirate Day? Or that April 3^rd is National Tweed Day? About don’t forget about Eat a Red Apple Day on December 1^st (that’s a red apple—not a green one—mind you).

So when I heard ding! and got an email about National Dog Wash Day, I was rather skeptical. Why not combine it with Talk Like a Pirate Day, I thought. “Arrr! Here, matey, lets shiver-ye-timbers in the tub!” (Sorry, that’s terrible, I know. I couldn’t help myself). But then I opened the message and found that there’s a much more serious concept behind it than I’d thought, one worth paying attention to.

National Dog Wash: Wash Away Canine Cancer Month is an event held throughout November (it coincides with Canine Cancer Awareness Month) as a fundraiser for the National Canine Cancer Foundation (NCCF), a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health issue in dogs. And it is a major issue: One out of every three dogs is expected to get the disease, half of which will die.

But here’s how you can help: Just wash your dog.

For a minimum $5 donation, you’ll get a package containing two different doggie shampoos from John Paul Pet, a can of Halo Purely for Pets Spot’s Stew, 30 days of free pet health insurance through Trupanion, and a pink paw magnet from the NCCF. Plus, for every donation made, freekibble.com donates a meal to shelter dogs.

It’s really a win-win: Just by scrubbing your pooch, you’ll help fight canine cancer, help feed shelter dogs, and help your doggy go from soggy to squeaky clean. Plus, think of all the great wet-pet-pics you’ll get to take!

Go to nationaldogwash.com for more info, and get ready to say, “Rub-a-dub-dub, put my dog in the tub. Arrr!” (Terrible. Sorry again!)

–Amy, KIWI articles editor

Well, you’ve all already heard how fond I am of Marcal. Now, they’ve given me another great reason to love their brand– a photo contest! Marcal is ready to celebrate the fall season by offering you a chance to win a $100 Best Buy® Gift Card or Canon® EOS Rebel XS Digital SLR Camera. All you have to do is a capture a beautiful shot of the fall foilage (be sure to leave people out of the images), register and submit your photo to Marcal’s Facebook page. (Be sure to fan Marcal while you’re there!)  All qualified entries will be featured in a gallery online and the winners be chosen by a panel of judges. First Prize winner will receive the camera and five first prize winners will receive the $100 Best Buy® gift cards! Entries are due by November 9th so hurry! Public voting will take place from November 9-30 and the final winners will be announced December 15th. Good luck photographers!

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

Moms-to-be, what are you craving? If it’s a big spoonful of peanut butter (or maybe some chocolate peanut butter candies, or ice cream with peanut butter sauce, or…), you may want to consider seeking out an alternative. Infants at an increased risk for allergies—such as those with a family history, those who have eczema, or those who have already tested positive for egg or milk allergies—are more likely to develop a peanut allergy if their moms ate the legume during pregnancy, finds a new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Researchers in five locations across the U.S. tested 503 infants who exhibited general signs of allergies, and found 140 of them to have a strong sensitivity to peanuts. The biggest predictor of risk: Consumption of peanuts during pregnancy. Study authors caution that the findings aren’t definitive enough as to encourage pregnant women to avoid peanuts, but they do indicate the need for further research.

Peanuts and peanut butter are pretty tasty (cheap and filling, too!), but nine months without them seems worth it, if doing so could give a child a better chance at not having to deal with a lifetime of severe allergies. Plus, there are tons of alternatives: Soynut butter, tahini, and seeds like pumpkin or sunflower. What do you think? Is it worth eschewing peanuts during pregnancy if it means your child might be less likely to develop an allergy?

-Marygrace, staff writer

Have you ever thought about incorporating baking soda into your everyday routine? I didn’t, until I attended an event at the Tribeca Day Spa, which featured Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. I knew baking soda was typically used for cooking and household purposes, but didn’t realize how versatile this simple (and affordable!) product could be. Here are a few ways to incorporate baking soda into your beauty and home cleaning routines.

Beauty
You can mix baking soda and water together to make a paste, which results in a great facial scrub and body exfoliator. Try it before your next at-home manicure and pedicure to leave hands and feet smooth and soft. Blend 2 tablespoons of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in a basin of warm water. After soaking your feet, make a scrub using 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water. Follow the application with a moisturizer and a warm towel hand/foot wrap. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.

You can also sprinkle a quarter-sized amount of the powdery stuff in your shampoo to serve as a clarifier, which will remove excess residue and build-up that regular shampoos can’t always get rid of. Your hair will feel renewed and refreshed.

Cleaning
In addition to these great beauty treatments and tips, I learned how resourceful baking soda can be for everyday cleaning purposes—especially if you have young children. Instead of buying expensive products, you can use baking soda and water to clean and deodorize laundry, toys, and rooms where your child plays and eats. To clean out your baby bottles, soak them in water over night with a few tablespoons of baking soda. You can also use the same mixture to easily remove crayon marks on wall, wash your child’s crib, or clean her playpen.

-Amanda, KIWI Intern

Kohlrabi seems to be the poster child of unknown veggies. Whenever you read about joining a CSA, for instance, one of the touted benefits is that you’ll get to try new things you might overlook at the grocery store—like kohlrabi. And guess what? I joined a CSA this year, and last week, received my first bunch of kohlrabi. You know what else? I had no idea what to do with it.

Curious cook that I am, I did some research. Turns out, kohlrabi is type of cabbage, and is related to broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts—all veggies that I love (and that many kids despise, but more on that in a minute). Like it’s cousins, kohlrabi is packed with vitamins and minerals, in this case vitamin C, thiamin, folate, magnesium, vitamin B6, potassium, copper, and manganese.

It can be eaten raw or cooked, but I read that raw kohlrabi has a spice that’s similar to radishes. Since radishes are one of the few vegetables I can’t stand, I decided to go the cooked route, roasting peeled slices of kohlrabi in a 425-degree oven until tender (about 20-25 minutes). And I’m so glad I did, because it just might be my new favorite vegetable: It’s got a rich, slightly sweet flavor and gentle bite that’s somewhere in between a potato and cauliflower. The flavor’s a lot milder than things like cabbage, broccoli, or kale, making it super appealing to little eaters. Give it a try!

-Marygrace, staff writer

At the Natural Products Expo a week or so ago, a few other editors and I got a chance to sit down with keynote speaker Alicia Silverstone. You may know (and love) her book The Kind Diet, and I’m here to tell you that she’s one of the least pushy but most passionate advocates of a plant-based diet I’ve ever encountered. In honor of World Go Vegan Week, here are a few of the points she made—kindly, of course:

*Your body sends you messages all day long. Whether you’re hungry or full, and even what you need to eat. She feels like the processed food (and meat) that most Americans eat is blocking us from hearing what our bodies are saying. An interesting concept: Can you hear what your body is saying to you?

*Do your best. Alicia was asked about fake-meat products: If they’re processed and pretending to be meat, are they really such a good idea, if what you’re shooting for is a plant-based diet? Well, she said, if that’s what helps people take steps to move away from meat, then she thinks they’re great. Maybe they are best as transitional foods, not diet staples, but let’s be real: They’re yummy and easy. To her, they’re still a better choice, and I appreciate the respectful and encouraging way she approaches helping people make more conscious choices.

*Why not just try something different? If you or your kids have allergies, she says, why not give a dairy-free diet a chance for a week or two? She believes that dairy is linked to allergies, and her low-key pitch to just give it a shot is compelling. Cutting out dairy with your child is healthy, if you make sure he’s getting calcium and vitamin D from other sources.

In all, I left the little meeting with Alicia Silverstone feeling like she genuinely cares about other people—so much that she doesn’t want to be preachy or make people feel guilty about wherever they are on the road to getting healthy. That’s very KIWI!

-Sarah, KIWI editorial director

My friend passed away last Sunday, just a few weeks short of her 88^th birthday. As an editor, my job is bringing together concepts, tying in ideas, and connecting words to make cohesive, tidy summaries. And in the five days since Sunday, I’ve been trying to wrestle all the memories of my friend into a nice, organized synopsis, one that tells her story—with a beginning, middle, and, now, an end—and has structure, purpose, and a clear conclusion. But as a friend, I know that turning her life into a structured equation is not possible—she was too warm, too scattered, too wonderful to be shuffled into an easy category. So instead, all I can do is tell a story of my friend, not the story, but one of the many stories she left with me.

When I met Marie three years ago, I was dumbfounded by how little she had. 8 housecoats. 4 pairs of socks. 1 winter hat. 1 pair of gloves. 3 sweaters. 2 undershirts. 5 pairs of underwear. 1 pair of sneakers. 1 wallet with 1 ID, 1 Medicaid card, and 2 business cards. 1 mini pack of Oreos. 1 paper napkin with a Christmas tree on it. 1 photo of a former health aid’s dog. And some basic toiletries provided by the nursing home.

I couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that eight decades of life could accumulate so little. It simply didn’t compute. So over the course the next three years, I filled her closet with dozens of floral-print housecoats (or “dresses,” as Marie called them), colorful socks, new sneakers, manicure sets and sparkly nail polishes, bright undershirts, stuffed animals with ribbons around their necks (Marie could tie a perfect bow), endless boxes and bags of candy, cookies, chips, marshmallows, lollipops (really, any treat she ever mentioned liking, and boy, were there many—Marie had a fierce sweet tooth)…stuff, lots and lots of stuff, as much stuff as I could stuff into her closet. I spent the span of our friendship working as a self-designated, singly-obsessed squirrel hoarding on her behalf.

Because after all, eight decades should amount to more than a handful or toiletries and old housecoats, right? But of course, Marie’s life was filled more fully than any closet could ever be; it just took me longer than most to figure that out.

Here’s the thing: Marie never complained about her life. Never complained about sharing a room with three other nursing home residents, with only thin curtains separating the beds; never complained about being in a wheelchair; never complained about not having any remaining family or friends; never complained about circumstances that would terrify most people, myself included. That’s not to say that Marie never complained about anything—she wasn’t a fan of the fresh vegetables the nursing home served (“I just like canned ones better,” she’d say) or her 6 am wakeup call (“Who in the world needs to get up that early?” she’d ask)—but it was never about the big stuff. When it came to the big stuff, she was content. Period. One evening, when I was about to leave her to go home, Marie said to me in whisper, “You know what? I’m happier here than I’ve ever been in my whole life.”

And she meant it. Marie had an ability I’ve only ever seen in clichéd Hollywood movies: An ability to enjoy the moment. Egg salad for lunch? “The best!” A soap opera on TV? “So interesting!” A trip downstairs to the vending machine for an ice cream? “An adventure!” She loved people, she loved food, she loved her home…she just loved.

The editor in me wants to tie this story up in a perfect bow. I’d like to be able to say that Marie gave me her gift of being satisfied with the little things. But this isn’t a Hollywood movie. What it is, though, is a lesson from my dear, dear friend that I will spend the rest of my life trying to grasp. I only wish I could still thank her for it.

-Amy, articles editor

There are tons of reasons why we should all eat more yogurt: It’s a yummy source of bone-strengthening calcium and vitamin D, is loaded with bacteria that promotes gut health, and offers good-for-you protein at an environmental cost lower than meat and fish. The one drawback? Most yogurt comes in tubs made of petroleum-based plastic, a resource-intensive material, to say the least.

Fortunately, Stonyfield Farm has set out to make their yogurt packaging better for the planet. Earlier this month, the organic dairy manufacturer unveiled a new plant-based, BPA-free plastic container for all of their multipack yogurt cups, including the YoBaby, YoToddler, YoKids, and O’Soy lines. Hooray! Instead of traditional polystyrene (plastic #6), the new cups are comprised of 93 percent polylactic acid, a GMO-free, corn-based alternative (that looks and feels just like the cups you’re used to). While not yet recyclable in most communities, the cup requires less resources and fossil fuels to manufacture—slashing it’s carbon footprint to nearly half of traditional plastic yogurt cups.

“This new yogurt cup is something we’ve been working to achieve for years and we are excited to be able to introduce it now,” explained Nancy Hirshberg, Stonyfield’s VP of Natural Resources.  “Even without a recycling option in the early stages, plant-based plastic is already better for the planet than polystyrene because it produces lower carbon emissions and requires less fossil fuel to make.  As this new type of plastic become commonplace, the potential environmental benefits only get better.”

-Marygrace, staff writer

Found: The perfect reason to swap your usual sandwich-side fruit with a bag of salty, crunchy chips. Natural chip brand, Food Should Taste Good, is doing good with their limited-edition Pink bags. For each one sold during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, five cents will go towards a participating charity, such as the Ellie Fund, the Massachusetts Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The company is striving to earn $75,000.

Bearing the label “Food Should Taste Good…Breast Cancer Should Be Cured,” the Pink bags are available nationwide in multigrain, olive, and sweet potato (yum!) flavors. Find ‘em at Whole Foods, Safeway, Kroger, and Stop & Shop through the end of the month, then check FSTG’s Facebook page on November 1st to see if they met their fundraising goal.

-Marygrace, staff writer

Guest blogger Melissa Graham blogs at Little Locavores.

Late October is a scary time. Both the crisp autumn air and the falling leaves whisper the promise of ghosts, ghouls and goblins soon to arrive. These days also bring other frightful things. While I know I’m going sound like a fuddy-duddy, I have to ask: when did Halloween become the holiday of excess?

When I was growing up, people didn’t seem so nutso about Halloween. We decorated – a pumpkin or two would sit on our stoop, waiting to be carved. We might add a few small touches, like cardboard black cat cutouts, perhaps even a small broom, implying the presence of a witch inside. Yes, there were always the outliers – the dramatically creative who would create bigger and bigger scary displays each year that we would visit and ooh and ah about, but most people seemed rather sensible in their decorating.

These days, you can’t drive a street on the north side of Chicago without your eyes being bombarded with Styrofoam gravestones, life size mummies, gigantic light displays, and of course, the ubiquitous spider webbing wrapped along fence after fence in neon Halloween colors. Seemingly, every empty store front (of which in this economy are many), is filled with spooky supply shops full of an endless supply of cheap Halloween goods, manufactured who knows where. While some of these adornments are used year after year, most, I suspect, are destined for the trash heap – more garbage for our brimming landfills. Given our wont to overdo, Halloween has become a very scary holiday for those of use care about the environment.

Halloween has also become a very scary day for us health conscious parents as the excess is certainly not limited to the decorations. As I mentioned in my first post, I’m no candy hater. When we crafted the mission statement of my non-profit, Purple Asparagus, we intentionally left out any reference to the word “healthy,” but instead talked about good eating. Good eating we feel is a diet high in vegetables and whole grains, which leaves room for sometime foods, candy included. I certainly remember loving Halloween especially post trick-or-treating when I inspected my loot, organizing it, and rationing it out. For me, it’s a matter of degree. When I was my son’s age, I would travel 3 to 4 blocks in my suburban neighborhood and come home with the same amount of candy that my son gathers in one small 1/2 city block. Back then, I got one piece a house. Nowadays, people throw handfuls of the stuff like beads off Mardi Gras floats.

Perhaps, it wouldn’t be so bad, if it were limited to trick-or-treating, but these days, there are the parties, school and otherwise, with goodie bags stocked full of candy. It’s all too much.

Because we’ve still got some time before the sugar blob arrives, I wanted to give my top five tips for making Halloween a little less scary this year. There’s a bonus: none of them will get your house egged!

1. Limit the trick or treating and organize a neighborhood potluck instead. On our street, we visit a handful of houses and then head to a party organized by a friend and neighbor. All the neighbors bring a little something, soups, salads, and other potluck fare. If we’re lucky, the weather is decent and we sit outside on our stoops, eating and sipping adult beverages while we watch the kids run around releasing the sugar rush generated from their Halloween loot. The recipe below, Spiced Pumpkin Muffins, would be a nice addition to a potluck table.
2. Help your little ones triage their candy. This is a particularly effective strategy for little ones who like to sort things. The morning after Halloween, my son and I dump out his goody bags the not-so-bad such as Hershey bars, Snickers, Reese’s (the candy that at least resembles real food). The not-so-bad pile is further sorted to include three categories: 1. Eat now, 2. Give away to Daddy’s office (they’ll eat anything), and 3. Save for his advent calendar (a treat each day of December before Christmas).
3. Work with your child’s teacher or the school administration to encourage healthy school celebrations that don’t focus on sweets, but instead activities. There’s so much you can do, including good old-fashioned fun like bobbing for apples or decorating pumpkins.
4. When decorating your house, look to use natural and recycled materials. For example, cheesecloth, used and washed, makes terrific spider webs. Soak it with leftover coffee grinds to give it a little color and then shred it. It holds up a lot better than the webbing sold at junky Halloween stores that turns in to spider blobs after a few rain storms. I’ve always wanted to transform my front yard into a set piece from The Blair Witch Project. Anyone remember the stick and cloth figures suspended from the trees? Oooh, what a terrifying movie moment and easy to recreate with items around the house.
5. Be a good role model. It’s easy just to pick up a bag of Halloween branded candy from the megamart. But there are some great online stores that sell a better product. For example, Natural Candy Store has a section of Fair Trade Halloween candy Given that it’s National Fair Trade month, it would be an appropriate choice. It’s a little more expensive, but if you’re not giving out handfuls of candy, the cost will likely even out and you’ll have done your part to make the day a little less scary. Let the ghosts, ghouls, and goblins take care of that.

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

I used to make this recipe with golden raisins instead of chocolate chips. My little locavore suggested the switch and we’ve never gone back. For these pictures, I used my adorable Williams-Sonoma acorn cake pan – they’re just as good in a regular or mini-muffin tin.

Makes 18 muffins

2 large eggs
½ cup canola oil
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon mace
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Fill 2 standard muffin tins with 18 paper or silicone cups. Whisk together the eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, and ¼ cup water. Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop batter into the prepared muffin tins equally. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a tester comes out with only a few crumbs.

Breakfast foods are good. So good, in fact, that it’s not unusual for me to eat a big bowl of porridge for lunch, or whip up a plate of whole wheat pancakes for dinner. But this morning I was in the mood for something different—something very un-breakfast-y that was still light enough to enjoy early in the day. This quick breakfast noodle soup hit the spot.

What I like best about this soup is it’s versatility: I used Japanese soba noodles (buckwheat noodles that are often blended with wheat) because they’re fast-cooking, but also have a hint of nutty sweetness that kind of reminded me of breakfast. You can substitute any thin, whole grain pasta you like (brown rice noodles are great, and cook in about three minutes), or even toss in some leftover cooked quinoa or brown rice. For the vegetables, I went with arame, an iron- and calcium-rich seaweed that’s available in dried form at most natural supermarkets (soaked in warm water, it takes all of five minutes to reconstitute). Any greens would work here, though—think torn spinach, chard, or even lettuce. And finally, protein: Cubed tofu seemed a natural fit here, but cooked chickpeas or edamame are equally easy (and delicious). If you’ve got a few more minutes, I bet a poached egg would be super tasty.

Poured in a mug, this soup is easy to slurp down while on the go. Since I had a bit more time this morning, I enjoyed it in a bowl, using chopsticks to eat the noodles, arame, and tofu, then drinking the rich, salty broth at the end. To make more servings, the recipe can easily be doubled.

Breakfast noodle soup
Prep + cook time: 12 minutes

2 cups vegetable stock or water (if using water, add 1 vegetable bouillon cube)
2 ounces buckwheat soba noodles
1/2 cup dried arame (or other seaweed)
4 ounces firm tofu, cubed
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon yellow miso
Sesame seeds and chopped scallions, optional

1. Place the vegetable stock or water and dried arame in a small stock pot and bring to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook according to package directions, about 5 minutes.
2. While the noodles cook, sesame oil, soy sauce, and miso in a serving bowl and mix to create a paste.
3. Pour the hot stock, noodles, and arame in the bowl over the sesame oil mixture. Add the cubed tofu and stir combine.
4. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions, if desired. Serve hot.

Serves 1
Calories 249, fat 10 g, protein 16 g, carbohydrates 38 g, dietary fiber 8 g

-Marygrace, staff writer

It’s been a while—but I’m back with a brand new list of our favorite posts from green-minded parent bloggers. Got a blog you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments!

• Cloth diapers are easy (well, to some!) at home—but what about when you’re out? Cloth Diaper Blog talks taking baby out on the town in reusables.
• When you’ve got a cute little puppy, accidents happen. Instead of cleaning up with harsh stain and odor removers, try Green and Clean Mom‘s natural solution.
• Still searching for the perfect DIY costume? Check out the cute, family-friendly ideas at Green Baby Guide.
• Go outside and play! Easier said than done, right? Green Stay at Home Mom has tips to get your little ones running around outdoors.
• Ever try dry shampoo to extend your ‘do one more day? The Green Phone Booth did, and here are the results.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

While I like to think of my ability to simultaneously read-copy-and-make-astute-comments-and-answer-the-phone-and-send-clever-emails-and-listen-to-a-coworker’s-looong-commute-story as a clear sign of genius, I can admit that this may simply be a sign of having the attention span of a fruit fly. Regardless, this Einstein-esque insect loves a good quiz. I’m not talking about the ulcer-producing pop quizzes from college, or even the seriously un-fun Trivial Pursuit that inevitably results in someone (me) feeling a bit stupid, but rather, the random questions from random sources that mean I get to shake some tiny bit of knowledge loose from my thinker to benefit the greater good. Enter Freekibble.com and Freekibblekat.com.

Because apparently being a tween isn’t challenging enough, the then 11-year-old Mimi Ausland set out to feed shelter pets by creating two trivia game websites in 2008: Freekibble.com and Freekibblekat.com. Here’s how it works: Simply answer the daily trivia questions on each site, and 10 pieces of kibble will be donated to homeless dogs and cats. The best part? It doesn’t matter if you get the answers right or wrong—the kibble gets donated anyway (Not that I would need a safety net like that, of course). And it’s not just any kibble that our furry friends in need get to munch on. As of September 2010, Halo Purely for Pets, a maker of natural pet care products, became the official sponsor of Freekibble.com and Freekibblekat.com, meaning that when you answer the questions, you’re helping serve up chow that’s wholesome, natural, and nutritious to help keep Fido and Fluffy happier and healthier while they wait to find families of their own.

If you have a busy brain that might not always remember to visit the same websites everyday (or wear matching socks, but that’s another story), not to worry. Sign up to have the daily trivia questions delivered right to your inbox.

Here’s a preview of your daily Q&A.

From Freekibble.com:

Q. New research shows for the first time, that dogs catch contagious _____ triggered by watching a human do it.

a. Shivering

b. Yawning

c. Hiccups

d. Blinking

A. If you answered b, you’re correct! Just like when you watch someone yawn and suddenly look as though you’ve been up all night, your pooch can be triggered to open wide by seeing a fellow yawner, too. To make sure this answer’s correct, I tested the hiccup one on my parents’ pup, Emma. Nope, doesn’t work. What hiccupping in front of a small dog does do, however, is cause much excited barking, an impressively strong tackle from a 6-lb turnip, and an unfortunate amount of face licking.

From Freekibblekat.com:

Q. Which of the following is a good substitute for water for your cat?

a. Milk

b. Orange Juice

c. Green Tea

d. There is not a good substitute for water

A. As my own shelter cat, Sniffles, can attest, not only is there not a good substitute for water (d), but there’s nothing like sipping from a tall glass of water placed on the counter—not on the floor—by your exasperated human helpers.

To date, the websites’ daily visitors have helped Freekibble donate 3,846,737 nutritious meals to hungry pets in shelters, rescues, and food banks across the country. Go to freekibble.com and freekibblekat.com today to help. And to show off your fun facts knowledge database, of course.

–Amy, KIWI articles editor

I’ve never been crazy about prepackaged orange juice because all of the ones I’ve tried just never tasted as good as the fresh-squeezed stuff.  All this changed this weekend when my friend offered me a glass of Uncle Matt’s Organic Orange Juice, while I was at her house. I was hesitant, but decided to give it a whirl. It was great! The just tasted fresh, and was sweet with a strong orange flavor. It was kind of like my friend had been squeezing oranges all morning.

Uncle Matt’s Organic Florida Orange Juice is made a blend of two different types of oranges (that were developed over four generations for a just-right orange flavor!). It’s made from 100% Florida fruit, is low in acidity and high in immune-boosting vitamin C, and comes in packaging that’s BPA-free. Best of all, Uncle Matt’s just introduced Organic Florida Grapefruit Juice–and I’m dying to try it!

-Shelby, KIWI intern

There is nothing better than a warm, sweet treat on a fall day. With Halloween and Thanksgiving right around the corner, these vegan Pumpkin Spice Orange Banana Bars will be a sure crowd pleaser, and will put everyone in the holiday mood.

This recipe comes from Kathy Patalsky, founder of The Lunchbox Brunch, a line of books, apparel, and greeting cards that seek to inspire children to taste and experiment with different, healthier foods.  Check out her blog for other fun, fast, and delicious vegan meals and snacks.

The combination of spelt (a nutty-tasting, low-gluten flour that’s better tolerated by some with wheat sensitivies) and whole wheat flour gives these treats a healthy twist. Make them into bars or muffins.

Pumpkin Spice Orange Banana Bars
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

2 cups spelt flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 extra-ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of cayenne
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 large orange, juiced (about 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup light coconut milk

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted nuts/seeds)
1/3 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1/2 cup crushed pecans or other nuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
2 tablespoons crushed flax seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375º. Lay a sheet of parchment paper over an 8 x 14″ baking pan for bars, or line a muffin.
2. Add flour, dry spices, salt and baking powder to a large mixing bowl. Stir well.
3. Add in the coconut milk, oil, vanilla extract, bananas, pumpkin, orange juice and maple syrup. Stir well.
4. Add in pumpkin seeds, 1 teaspoon of orange zest, and pecans and dried cranberries, if using.
5. Pour batter into baking dish or muffin tin. For bars, use a spatula to smooth out the top of the batter.
6. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, the other teaspoon of orange zest and an extra drizzle of agave nectar or maple syrup over the top.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until bars are lightly browned on the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

* Letting the bread chill in the fridge is another option. Freeze to store for a few days.

Makes 12 bars of muffins

Per serving: Calories 291, protein 4 g, fat 10 g, carbohydrates 47 g, dietary fiber 6 g

-Amanda, Intern

Hooray! KIWI’s October/November issue hits newsstands today. Our adorably festive cover is probably enough to get you running out to pick up your copy—but just in case, here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll find inside:

• Happy Halloween! Throw a spooky fun party complete with earth-friendly crafts, homemade costumes, and tasty treats.
• Staying safe from toxins How to protect your family from lead, flame retardants, mercury, and more.
• Raising grateful kids What KIWI families across the country appreciate most—and how they give thanks.
• Healthy teeth, naturally Greener oral care for babies, toddlers, and beyond.
• Thanksgiving side dish makeover Simple swaps to make your trimmings yummy and good for you.

Each fall, I get excited about pumpkin. Of course, because I love it’s taste and bright orange color, but also, I think, because I only ever eat pumpkin in October and November. So it always reminds me of wholesome fall days, complete with sweaters, crisp blue skies, and blustery winds. It also reminds me of being warm and cozy at home with my family, since we always eat pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. What’s more, I’m willing to bet you feel the same, because pumpkin seems to be one of those foods that evokes universal feelings and memories. Kind of like corn on the cob or watermelon.

For the last couple weeks, I’ve seen huge piles of pumpkins (plus gourds and squash) sitting outside of nearly every market around town. It really made me want pumpkin pie, but deep down I know it’s not quite time yet. Instead, I left the cinnamon and nutmeg in the spice cabinet, and made this savory stir fry. Served over rice, it’s a light meal, but you can bulk it up with cubed tofu or tempeh, too. What’s more, it’s cozy, invigorating, and satisfying—sort of like fall itself.

Pumpkin broccoli stir-fry
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10-12 minutes

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ of a medium sugar pumpkin*, peeled, seeded, and chopped into ½-inch cubes
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. Stir and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over high heat, warm the canola oil until shimmery. Add the pumpkin cubes and sauté, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and sauté 5-7 minutes more.
3. Add the garlic and jalapeno pepper, stirring for 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce mixture, stir again, and remove from heat.
4. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve.

Serves 4
Per serving: Calories 163, fat 8 g, protein 3 g, carbohydrates 22 g, dietary fiber 5 g

*You can use the rest of the pumpkin to make a puree for use in pie, muffins, or pancakes. Peel, seed, and chop the other half of the pumpkin into 1-inch cubes and roast for 20-25 minutes. Remove the oven to cool. Once cooled, process in a food processor or blender until smooth, adding water to thin if necessary. The puree will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator, or up to six months in the freezer.

Want even more yummy ways to enjoy the orange squash? Check out our top five pumpkin recipes at kiwimagonline.com/pumpkin.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Like most kids, when I was little I went through a stage where I loved animals. It went from following our long-suffering family dog, Dusty, around like a stalker, to hanging pictures of bunny rabbits all over my room, to announcing in the 5^th grade—much to my mother’s dismay—that I would no longer be eating meat. Ever. But unlike most stages kids go through, this one stuck. What was initially a combination of having seen lobsters being cooked, reading Charlotte’s Web, and having a titanium-strength stubborn streak, evolved into a life-long refusal to eat the cute critters I love so dearly (though, honestly, my cat Sniffles can make me so crazy that I’m not above telling her that one more 2 a.m. stepping on my face incident, and she’s being served for dinner. Hey, no one’s perfect).

One thing I’ve always worked hard to avoid is being one of those vegetarians. You know, the ones who insist on having their veggie burgers cooked on separate grills at backyard BBQs, the ones who only need the slightest prompting—even if it’s imaginary—to launch into a 40-minute lecture on all the reasons people shouldn’t eat meat. This avoidance is partly due to a trait of fearing-any-and-all-conflict-and-thinking-that-everyone-must-get-along-at-all-times, and also an unwillingness to give the people who look for opportunities to rag on vegetarianism an opening—and trust me, I’ve heard it all over the years. But when an opportunity to talk about something I’m so passionate about does arise, I’m not above taking advantage. Case in point:

Today just happens to be the North American Vegetarian Society’s annual celebration of World Vegetarian Day, the kick-off of Vegetarian Awareness Month! People choose a vegetarian diet for a number of reasons—from Charlotte’s Web and stubbornness, to health benefits and a desire to help preserve the Earth—and the North American Vegetarian Society wants to help non-vegetarians find their own reason to give meatless eating a try.

And what’s a better incentive than cash?

Non-vegetarians who pledge to abstain from all meat, fish and fowl during Vegetarian Awareness Month (October) will be entered in a random drawing for cash prizes. One winner will be chosen in each of the following three categories: One day $250; One week $500; One month $1,000.

Go to worldvegetarianday.org to enter the “Give Vegetarianism a Try” contest. All you have to do is fill out a pledge card, send it in, and poof—you could win a thousand bucks. Oh, and you’d also happen to be helping:

·Reduce the risk of  heart disease, stroke and cancer, while cutting exposure to foodborne pathogens

·Provide a viable answer to feeding the world’s hungry through more efficient use of grains and other crops

·Save animals from suffering in factory-farm conditions and from the pain and terror of slaughter

·Conserve vital but limited freshwater, fertile topsoil and other precious resources

·Preserve irreplaceable ecosystems such as rainforests and other wildlife habitats

·Decrease greenhouse gases that are accelerating global warming

·Mitigate the ever-expanding environmental pollution of animal agriculture

Not that I’m lecturing, of course. I just like cute critters.

–Amy, KIWI articles editor

Does it seem like everybody’s talking about how to get kids to eat healthier? From Michelle Obama to the blogger down the block, there are a lot of people trying to make changes in home, schools, and beyond. Here are three initiatives I thought you KIWI readers would be particularly interested in:

KIWI Crusaders: Our own contest! If your child’s school is doing a great job promoting nutrition and making sure kids’ meals and snacks are healthy, it could win $2500. We love to celebrate what’s going right in schools, so tell us!

Annie’s Root 4 Kids: Annie’s is partnering with Farm to School to encourage parents and schools to get kids learning about and growing their own vegetables. Take the Root 4 Kids pledge and commit to completing at least one activity, such as learning about, eating, and planting new veggies, or working to get more fresh foods into schools. (Plus, for every 1,000 pledges Annie’s gets, they’ll contribute funds toward a garden or a Farm to School program in an underprivileged school.)

Hershey’s Moderation Nation: I know what you’re thinking: Hershey’s? And I thought that too. What’s the behemoth chocolate company doing telling us about healthy eating? Well, they have a message I agree with: Moderation. Life wouldn’t be the same without chocolate (and Hershey does own Dagoba, the organic chocolate company), and even better, there’s something FREE in for you in their new campaign: Schedule a dietitian visit through the site, and Hershey’s will reimburse you for it.

Happy, healthy eating!
—Sarah, KIWI editorial director

I love smoothies (super healthy + super convenient=win), but I gotta say, I’m pretty tired of the same old ingredient combos. Berries and yogurt, berries and milk, berries and banana—sure, they’re all good (and good for you), but if I see another berry smoothie recipe, well, I don’t know. I’m not going to make it, that’s for sure. Besides, berry season is over. And while you could certainly use frozen, there are plenty of other perfectly good ingredients that make for a mighty tasty blended beverage and are available fresh right now.

I’m talking about apples and kale. WAIT! Before you click away, trust me, this is good. This smoothie is plenty sweet, and the green leaves and apple peel make for such a pretty color. And since kale is literally one of the most nutritious foods you can eat (apples aren’t too bad, either!), you’ll actually feel the healthy life energy pulsing through your body after you drink this. Did I just say that? Oh yes, I did. Because it’s true!

To recap: Smoothies taste delicious, are good for you (especially this one), and are super easy to make. Start your blenders.

Green apple smoothie
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 banana (frozen, if possible), chopped into 1-inch pieces
2-3 kale leaves, stems removed
2 tablespoons almond butter
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Makes 1 smoothie: Calories 400, protein 7 g, fat 22 g, carbohydrates 50 g, dietary fiber 8 g

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

The concept is simple: Kids should get outside and play. The execution, however, isn’t so easy. The combination of kids spending an average of 7.5 hours a day in front of the TV and computer, and the fact that almost 60 percent of all kids don’t have a playground within walking distance of their homes (that number rises to nearly 70 percent in low-income areas), adds up to some serious lack of outdoor playtime. Fortunately, there’s a group working to change that: KaBOOM! (That’s the name of the group—I wasn’t just channeling my inner comic book fan).

To help ensure that kids across the country get down to some serious playing—and that they have the play spaces to do so—the national nonprofit KaBOOM! has launched its second annual KaBOOM! Play Days sponsored by Mott’s. KaBOOM! Play Days encourage communities to come together for fun activities and to improve their local parks and playgrounds. Now through September 26^th, families can check out the Play Days website to find fun local events (there are over 1,500 Play Days registered nationwide). Just head to the website, enter your zip code and KaBoom!, you’ll find a participating playground nearby for you and the kids to enjoy some good old-fashioned play this weekend (and okay, yes, that last KaBoom! was totally me—POW!).

If you’re feeling more ambitious and want to host your own Play Day, you can find tools to help self-organize, recruit volunteers, invite other people, and receive event-planning help at Kaboom.org. Plus, once the events are over, Play Day communities with the best improvement projects will be eligible to win one of several grants worth up to $10,000 to help further improve their local park or playground.

Have fun playing this weekend!

-Amy, KIWI articles editor

When it comes to sports, it’s not all about winning, or even staying in shape. Regular participation in vigorous activity and team athletics helps kids feel happier, too, according to a new study from West Virginia University. Researchers evaluated questionnaires filled out by 245 7th and 8th graders, who were asked to assess their own physical health and activity levels, plus overall satisfaction with life. 12-14 year old boys who played team sports were five times more likely to report being happy, while girls who played team sports were thirty times more likely to report being happy. Girls who performed solo exercise reported feeling happier, too.

Sports participation may help kids feel more connected to their school, provide social support, and promote student and team mate bonding, researchers say. On the flip side, trying out for a school sports team can be tough—and not everyone makes the cut. (Perhaps a sense of feeling left out being one of the reasons why kids who aren’t on sports teams report feeling less satisfied?) If your child’s jump shot (or field goal, or corner kick) isn’t quite up to competitive snuff, there are other options: Encourage him to get involved with school or local intramurals, or even form pick-up games with some of his friends. And since any sort of exercise was associated with boosting girls’ satisfaction, non-team activities—like running, bicycling, or rock climbing—are good options, too.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

I love finding family-run businesses whose primary focus is taking good care of their customers, like My Baby’s Green, LLC. The online clothing and toy store offers up organic, sustainable, high-quality items for little ones (without harming the planet!). For babies, there are carriers, crib sheets, adorable accent pillows, body suits, and more–all in a variety of cute patterns. For kids? My personal favorite is the organic “All you need is LOVE” t-shirt (and at $26, it’s a steal). Gearing up for Halloween with some spooktacular gear? Try the reusable Trick-or-Treat tote, complete with a pumpkin on the front and “Ghouls Wanna Have Fun” nail polish too. And don’t worry, moms, we didn’t forget about you! How about a bamboo utensil set or a reusable sandwich/snack bag?

I could keep gushing, but you should probably just check out My Baby’s Green for yourself. Best of all, they’re offering up a 25 percent discount (kids’ tees excluded) for KIWI readers when you enter KIWI25 at checkout.

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

Help your child grow, learn, and thrive in the classroom with KIWI College’s free webinar, Building a Bridge Between Home and School, tonight at 8 P.M. EST and Thursday at 2 P.M. EST.

Homework, the need to fit in, and the pressure to succeed can mean a rough start to the school year. What are the best ways to help your child feel secure and confident in the classroom–without getting over-involved? Learn how to help your child thrive in school with Lu Hanessian, a journalist, parent educator, and author of Let the Baby Drive. She’ll explain how to forge strong bonds with your child’s teacher, how to prevent homework conflicts, and the four common mistakes parents make with teachers during the first two months of school. She’ll also share her tips for easing your child’s school anxieties–and offer opportunities for you to ask your questions, too!

Spaces are limited, so register now!

This week’s guest blogger, Melissa Graham, writes regularly about sustainability at her own blog, Little Locavores.

About five years ago, I left behind my first career as a big firm attorney to pursue a long time dream of working in the world of food. Giving up a comfortable income, I founded, with a small group of friends, Purple Asparagus, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing families back to the table by promoting and enjoying all the things associated with good eating. Our original intent was to be a kind of Slow Food for families, introducing children to the pleasures of the table through education and events. As time passed, however, our mission expanded to include advocacy and education in the schools. Over the last year, we have provided programming to thousands of parents and children at public schools, community centers, and farmers’ markets throughout Chicago and its surrounding suburbs.

Purple Asparagus’ education program is based on the simple notion that if you eat close to the ground, incorporating lots of diverse fruits and vegetables into your diet while getting the processed junk out, you’ll be well on your way towards a healthy lifestyle. At Purple Asparagus, we don’t view food as simply fuel to feed the body. Food can be, and should be, more than that. We believe that sharing food can strengthen family and community ties. I also find that teaching children about eating well can help them gain respect for the earth and for the diversity of cultures all over it.

The roots of this notion dig deep into my childhood. I inherited my love of cooking from my mom, a teacher who loved to entertain with entertaining friends. Through her and my dad, I was exposed to good food both in fine restaurants and in clam shacks. Growing up near the bounty of the Atlantic on Long Island instilled in me a respect for local and sustainable products. We clammed, caught crabs, and gathered beach plums that we transformed into jam. I loved our trips to the east end of the island returning home with bags heavy with local corn, peaches, and tomatoes. While my mother wasn’t a food snob and often used the tricks of the processed food industry, she also froze, canned, and dried the gifts of the growing season. Through food, we explored the world and connected as a family.

Having long since moved from Long Island and my parents, my husband and I continue these traditions here in the Midwest. My son, age six, is already an old hand at navigating the farmers’ markets. Our weekly, sometimes bi-weekly, visits have created so many wonderful memories, including trying his first strawberry plucked straight out of a pristine pile by the farmer, or his market play dates with the daughter of another farmer who lives in the same small Indiana town as my husband’s relatives. We too explore the world and connect as a family through food.

While we’re not perfect, we do our best to consume food that is good and clean, raised by farmers and producers whose practices replenish the earth. As a family, we also try to avoid any extremes in our diet. Our everyday eating is usually healthy, which allows us the opportunity to indulge, guilt-free, in “sometimes” foods. I’m no cupcake hater and a plate full of fries can make for a happy meal. It’s all about balance.

I was thinking of all this on Labor Day during a dinner that my family shared to mark summer’s unofficial end. My son started school the next day, moving, as he described it, into the grades (first that is) and out of the ‘gartens. To celebrate this important transition, I made a special meal of buttermilk-brined fried chicken. I paired it with the pride of summer produce: corn so sweet that buttering it would have been a sin and sliced tomatoes freshly plucked from our small urban garden. Homemade, puckery-tart, bread and butter pickles rounded out the plate. It was a meal to remember. Afterwards, we sat on our city stoop with watermelon slices, our bellies full, silently sharing our hopes for the coming school year. Reflecting on the many special occasion meals my mom prepared when I was a kid, the ones that comforted me and connected us as a family, it reminded me that a thoughtful and well-prepared meal can fill not just your stomach, but also your heart.

Because I didn’t think it appropriate to begin my blogging for Kiwi with my delicious, yet artery clogging, once-a-year indulgence, fried chicken recipe found here, I’ll instead share our everyday, heart healthy substitute. Parmesan Crusted Chicken is a delicious everyday dinner that both kids and adults love. Eat this now, so that you can indulge in that later.

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Breasts

Serves 4

Of course, you could always buy bone-in chicken breasts for this recipe and remove the bone to use for stock. Since this is a regular dish in my after work repertoire, I often take the easy way out with pre-pounded chicken cutlets. I like to pair it with roasted, marinated, multi-colored peppers.

4 chicken cutlets or chicken breast halves, boned, skinned, and pounded between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons water

½ cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

½ cup grated parmesan style cheese (I use a Midwestern cheese called Sarvecchio)

2 tablespoons snipped chives, optional

Zest from half of a lemon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

5 grinds of pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Place three shallow bowls side by side. Add the flour in the first, the eggs and water in the second, and the panko crumbs, parmiggiano-reggiano, chives, lemon zest, salt and pepper in the third. Mix together the water and egg in one bowl and then the bread crumbs, cheese, chives, lemon zest, salt and pepper in the other. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick sauté pan over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Dredge the chicken first in the flour, then the egg mixture and finally the bread crumb mixture. Add each piece of meat into the pan and immediately turn the heat to medium. Sauté for approximately 4 minutes on one side, 3 minutes on the other. Serve warm with the following recipe for marinated peppers.

Mama Lena’s Roasted and Marinated Bell Peppers

Serves 4

4 bell peppers of various colors

4 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon sherry vinegar

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Grill, broil or roast the peppers over an open flame. Put the peppers into bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap until cool to the touch. Remove the skins and the seeds from the peppers. Slice into ¼-inch slices. Very thinly slice garlic cloves. Mix together the peppers, sliced garlic cloves, olive oil, vinegar and salt in a medium-size bowl and marinate for at least an hour, preferably overnight.

Almost every Friday afternoon, the first thing I do after wrapping up work is head to my favorite yoga studio. Sometimes I’m feeling super energetic (a miracle for a Friday, I know!) and opt for a power or vinyasa class, and other times my body just wants to relax, so I take a more restorative hatha class. Regardless, for me, yoga’s the perfect opportunity to unwind, dump out any stress from the week, and settle into a relaxing weekend.

This past Friday, I enjoyed a super mellow hatha session. I almost fell asleep in Savasana, but then had to wake myself up to bike the four miles back home. Unfortunately, it was raining—meaning I was going to get soaked and the traffic around me was going to be moving slower than usual. The 25-minute ride turned into a 45-minute one, and by the time I got home I was wet, cold, and cranky. In other words, not relaxed. I was also starving, hadn’t made a plan for dinner, and didn’t feel like doing a ton of work in the kitchen.

So I made mujadara, a traditional Middle Eastern pilaf of rice, lentils, and caramelized onions. It took about 45 minutes to cook, but most of the time was unattended—leaving me to do other things, like take a hot shower and put on my coziest sweatpants. Of course, a meal isn’t a meal without vegetables (though I’m sure some kids would beg to differ), so I sliced up some small eggplants we got in our CSA box, drizzled them with olive oil and salt, and roasted them off while the rest of the food simmered on the stove. Served over a bed of arugula (another CSA offering!), this was a comfy, satisfying meal that definitely put me back on track for weekend relaxation.

Eggplant Mujadara
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes, largely unattended

1 cup brown basmati rice
1 cup green lentils
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 large onion, sliced into rounds
4 small or 2 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Salt, to taste
Arugula or spinach, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice, lentils, and bouillon cube. Cover and reduce to a simmer.
3. In a large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and let it brown slowly, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
4. Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet so none overlap. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Flip the slices, then drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and add another sprinkle of salt. Bake 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
5. The rice and lentils should be ready at about the same time as the eggplant. Take them off the stove and put in a large bowl, then add the eggplant.
6. Add a sprinkle of salt to the onions, then add them to the bowl as well. Toss to combine. Top with toasted pine nuts.
7. Serve hot, over a bed of arugula or spinach, if desired.

Serves 4
Per serving: Calories 336, protein 9 g, fat 20 g, carbohydrates 33 g, dietary fiber 8 g

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Here’s the latest and greatest of what’s going on in the mom blogosphere. Interested in having your blog featured? Let us know in the comments!

• Cute! Check out This Mama Makes Stuff‘s DIY Mini Snuglet–it’ll keep your child toasty when the nights get chilly.
• Has your child ever gotten in trouble for doing the right thing (or did you, when you were a kid?)? Eighty MPH Mama shares some of her funny stories.
• On the super busiest of nights, frozen pizza can be a godsend. But finding one that’s  delicious and good for you? Mom Most Traveled reviews her new favorite pie.
• Picking pumpkins, making leaf bouquets, watching football, and more: Secret Mom Thoughts posts her family’s fall fun checklist.
• Can’t travel the world? Bring the world to your family, says Sorta Crunchy.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Do you ever think about how many germs are swarming all over the shopping carts at your local grocery store?  Even though many supermarkets offer sanitizing wipes that can be used to clean off your cart, do they really make a difference?  These were the thoughts running through my mind while I walked the aisles of the local Whole Foods with my brother and two-year-old niece. Was I setting my niece up to catch some nasty virus or bacteria by letting sit in the front seat of the shopping cart?  So, as soon as I got home, I started doing some research. Lo and behold, I found the perfect natural solution: Clean Shopper.

The Clean Shopper, made by Babe Ease LLC, is a fabric shopping cart cover that prevents your baby or toddler from coming into contact with nasty germs or bacteria. Available in a variety of cute colors and patterns (made from nontoxic dyes), the Clean Shopper folds up for easy bag storage, and takes about 10 seconds to slip over a standard shopping cart.    The built-in safety strap keeps your little one secure, and the toy straps hold onto her favorite play gadgets (so they don’t fall on the floor and pick up more germs!). What’s better than that?

To get your Clean Shopper—and check out Babe Ease’s line of organic cotton baby items—visit cleanshopper.com.

-Shelby, KIWI intern

When’s the first time you heard about organic food? Sometime in the late ’90s or very early 2000s, I remember my mom going to a little-known store called Fresh Fields (which, a year or two later became Whole Foods) bringing home organic wheat grass, apples, beets, and more to make fresh juice. Have you ever tried vegetable and fruit juice with a shot of wheat grass? Health-conscious eater though I am, I could never get behind that stuff (and to this day, still can’t!).

My mom said that organic food was better for us—though I don’t remember ever getting an explanation why. To her credit, I bet a lot of other early buyers of organic didn’t have all the answers they have today, either. But the stuff seemed healthier, so they tried it.

In 2004, I learned for myself what organic meant. I was a senior in high school, and had begun taking charge of my health with a vegetarian diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. When I decided to apply for a part-time job, I naturally (no pun intended!) turned to Whole Foods—the once small and sort of strange health food store whose popularity was on the brink of exploding. At my job orientation, one of the WF team leaders explained the company’s core values, which included—among other principles—selling the highest quality natural and organic products available. There, I learned the difference between natural and organic (something many people still aren’t clear on—but it’s getting better!), and what organic products mean for the health of people and the planet (sustainable methods of production that are gentler on the environment, plus no artificial chemicals). I was hooked.

Despite the fact that I no longer have a 20 percent discount card for Whole Foods (just one of the many perks of working there), I still support organic. My husband and I live on a small budget, but supporting health and sustainability is something we refuse to skimp on. We belong to an organic CSA where, for $32 a week, we receive an enormous box of fresh, local vegetables. And if the organic apples cost $3 per pound at my co-op, that’s okay with me—I’ll just buy fewer and space them out throughout the week. To me, the price is justified, because buying organic reflects the true costs of what it takes for a farmer—and his land—to produce real, wholesome food.

So, think back five or 10 years ago—was buying organic something that was important to you? Did you even know what organic meant? For many of us, the answer is no, which in my mind is a good thing, since it shows just how far the movement has come in such a short time. Best of all, there’s so much more room for education and growth: September is Organic Harvest Month, so I’m taking the opportunity to promote sustainbly-produced food, clothing, personal care products, and more as much as possible. I encourage you to do the same.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Mmm, raspberry cheesecake crackers

Guest blogger Kristen J. Gough is always up for trying new dishes—especially with her kids. You can read more about their adventures in food at MyKidsEatSquid.com.

I’ve discovered a little secret—the more inventive my afterschool snack, the more likely my three girls are to sit around with me and talk about their day (Shhh! They still think my only motivation is to find new ways to use bananas and chocolate). We’ve had our hits (banana hot dogs) and misses (carrot burritos), but most of the time, if my kids help me put something creative and tasty together, we end up chatting as we mix, talking between bites—it’s the perfect mommy-daughter-daughter-daughter time.

Here are a few of our recent hits:

Raspberry Cheesecake Crackers

Don’t worry, these just sound calorie-laden; they’re not. I take saltines and top them with a dollop of Neufchatel cheese spread, raspberry fruit spread, and then some dried fruit. Today it was mangos; tomorrow I’ll use pineapple.

Go-For-It Gorp

Trail mix heaven. Grab whatever you have tucked away in the back of your cabinet and let your kids make their own mixes. My kids always start with pretzels or honey nut O’s, then mix in dried fruit, like golden raisins and dates, nuts, and of course a few chips (dark chocolate is their fave).

Color Me Hungry

My middle child hates carrots—claim they give her headaches. But they’re such a convenient, dippable snack that I’ve been trying to help her overcome her carrot fears. Last week, we discovered yellow carrots from Cal-Organic farms. She’s been happily dipping them in ranch dressing every since. (Who knew a color could make such a difference! You can also find purple green beans, yellow tomatoes…)

Sundae Sandwich

Bananas (I told you I liked them!), nuts, chocolate sauce, peanut butter, maybe even some jelly—it’s a sandwich Elvis would have liked; your kids will like it too. I spread some peanut butter on whole grain bread, add thin-cut bananas, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, and depending on which of my daughters is requesting it, a little fruit spread. Warning: These sandwiches are FILLING (but easy to carry to soccer practice).

And when you’re not feeling creative—or you’re running from theatre practice to piano lessons and oh yeah, you need to grab groceries, I keep a few snacks in my purse. I’m a CLIF fanatic (plus they’re on sale at back-to-school time —I pack ZBars, which come in chocolate brownie, honey graham cracker, smores, or their twisted fruit ropes; I’m sure there are several flavors, but my kids always stick with mixed berry.

What about you? Do you have a favorite snack that you’ve made for your kids—or, even better, that they’ve created on their own? Hey, if they’re making cucumber-pretzel-banana-cheese sandwiches: As long as they’ll eat it, I’d say that’s a great snack!

If intimidation had you avoiding the odd-shaped veggie all summer at the farmer’s market, fear not! Okra is simple to prepare (delicious and nutritious, too!)—but it’s season is almost over. Get it while you can, then make this tasty appetizer or finger food

Okra fingers with peanut dipping sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

1 pound okra
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Salt, to taste
1/3 cup natural peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1-2 teaspoons hot chili sauce (or to taste)
1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spread the okra on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the sesame oil and sprinkle with the salt, then toss to coat. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the okra just begin to brown.
3. While the okra bakes, make the peanut sauce. In a medium bowl, add the peanut butter, water, soy sauce, hot chili sauce (if using), rice wine vinegar, and garlic, and whisk to combine.
4. Take the okra out of the oven. Serve hot alongside the peanut sauce for dipping.

Serves 4
Per serving: Calories 175, fat 13 g, protein 8 g, carbohydrates 10 g, dietary fiber 5 g

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

I love whipping up vegan cakes, cookies, breads, and more: I know it’s lower-impact on the environment, (a little bit!) better for my health, and always delicious. But while reading a recent New York Times article, I was reminded that lots of people are intimidated—or just plain turned off—by baking sans dairy and eggs. Some folks think the recipes will require difficult or inconvenient substitutions, or that the final product’s taste or texture will be off. Though it’s certainly true that not all conventional sweets can easily be made vegan (hello, meringues!), there are plenty that can.

The next time you pull out the measuring cups and mixing bowls, keep the eggs and butter in the fridge—and try veganizing your recipe with these easy tips.

For the eggs

• Pureed fruit. 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce per egg is an all-purpose favorite, since it’s flavor is undetectable in most baked goods. The same amount of mashed banana works, too, but you might taste it in the final product (which, depending on what you’re making, could be a good thing!). If you’re baking something chocolate-y, try plum puree (yes, from a baby food jar!) to enhance the flavor. For each quarter-cup of pureed fruit, add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.
• Silken tofu. Like eggs, silken tofu lends binding protein to a batter or dough. It’s great because, alone, it has no taste (making it a good savory binder as well, like in homemade veggie burgers), but maybe less convenient since not everyone always has the stuff on hand. Use 1/4 cup of pureed silken tofu per egg.
• Flax eggs. When blended with water, ground flax seeds form a sort of sticky goo that’s similar to beaten eggs. Plus, flax adds an extra dose of nutty fiber and omega-3s. For each egg you want to replace, blend or vigorously whisk 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 2 tablespoons warm water.

For the butter

• Non-hydrogenated margarine. Not your grandma’s margarine (or “oleo”, as mine likes to call it), the new dairy-free, buttery spreads are an all-natural blend of trans-fat free vegetable oils. I’m a dedicated fan of Earth Balance buttery sticks, which are easier to measure than tub spreads. Use it measure-for-measure when substituting for butter.
• Canola oil. It’s got a neutral flavor that works well with anything. Since it has a different composition than butter, though (oil is pure fat, while butter has some water), you’ll want to compensate by decreasing the oil slightly. Recipes that call for 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter can instead use 1/3 cup canola oil.
• Coconut butter or oil. The high saturated fat content of coconut butter yields baked goods with a rich texture similar to ones made with butter. A slight coconut-y flavor tends to come through, which depending on what you’re baking, may or may not work. Since coconut butter is actually a solidified oil, measure as you would a regular oil.

For the milk

• Soy, almond, or rice milk. All of these nondairy milks work equally well, so which one you use depends on your family’s preferences. Use measure-for-measure with cow’s milk.
• Soy, almond, or rice milk with vinegar. Add a teaspoon of vinegar for each cup of nondairy milk and let sit for 5 minutes to mimic buttermilk.
• Coconut milk. Cup for cup, the full-fat stuff does an excellent job of standing in for cream.

Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Ulcers. Migraines. Panic attacks. Are today’s pressures slowly killing our children?

Tara Parker-Pope, in her New York Times “Well” column, recently profiled the phenomenon of “back-to-school” headaches.

“For kids around the country it’s back-to-school time. But for many of them, it’s also the return of headache season,” laments Parker-Pope.

While going back to school is nerve-racking for many kids (and their parents), it’s not the only time of year I hear complaints about headaches and stomachaches severe enough to cause families to bring their kids in to see me. Every day in my practice, I see at least one child suffering from physical symptoms of stress. Teens with chronic headaches, eight year-olds with recurrent abdominal pain, a three year-old with a bleeding ulcer. What’s going on?

Some have blamed our society’s new obsession with over-scheduling young ones. Judith Warner’s treatise on turbo-charged moms, “Perfect Madness,” takes parents to task for pushing their children too hard as a side-effect of martyred motherhood. School and travel sports teams have year-long seasons now, kids are booked several weeks ahead for play-dates, and kindergarteners have homework every night. While we work on addressing these societal ills – see my piece last month on the value of “free play” – we’ve got to find ways to help our kids build their virtual toolbox of mind-body skills to help them cope with life’s worries.

A few of my favorite mind-body relaxation therapies for kids? One of the most promising and appealing modalities is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Jon and his wife Myla have also published a wonderful book to teach parents how to work with their kids from this perspective: “Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting.” Yoga, guided imagery, biofeedback, music therapy – these too have solid evidence supporting their use in the pediatric population to help children cope with stress. Another favorite resource is Dr. Amy Saltzman’s CD, “Still Quiet Place.” Amy does a wonderful job creating a variety of mind-body experiences for children and families, and the recording is a terrific tool to engage youngsters in the practice of mindfulness.

One of my favorite ways to bring the concept of mindfulness into my kids’ lives has been through reading stories. Since they were very young, my children have loved listening to stories we tell them about “the old days.” Though they’re getting older now, we still try and make time to read stories together before bed. There is magic in telling and listening to stories.

Hans Christian Andersen, the bard of Copenhagen, was immortalized as a master storyteller, played by Danny Kaye, in my wife’s favorite movie of all time. I’d like to think we’ve all been mesmerized from time to time by storytellers. Stories are a way many of us pass on tales of our past, our culture, and moral lessons to our children. Native American storytelling, an integral part of American history, teaches children about the ways we interact with nature and about the importance of ancient wisdom. There are modern-day storytellers as well. Jim Weiss is one – I heard him a few years ago at a children’s health fair; he had the kids in the palm of his hand after two minutes. I also had the privilege of meeting Vered Hankin at an integrative pediatrics conference. If you think there’s no one around today weaving tales “like they used to” – you’ve got to listen to Vered’s work. Her stories come alive – they’re almost 3D. The power to me is the hypnotizing transportation to other places. This is truly mind-body therapy. And it is a very useful tool to help young children (and us old kids too!) cope with stress.

And what better way to help our children learn about mindfulness than through stories? Not just via the act of storytelling and listening but through the telling of specific stories that weave in messages about mindfulness. Jon Muth’s “Zen Shorts“ is one of my all-time favorites. On the surface, the author introduces three contemporary Western children to a decidedly-Buddhist giant panda, Stillwater, but along the way, he gracefully weaves in three Zen philosophy tales. My personal favorite (though not my kids, of course!) is about letting go. Karl, the youngest child, goes to visit Stillwater, but he’s quite mad at his older brother, Michael. Karl spends the day being mad at Michael, as Stillwater tries to educate him about enjoying the moment and releasing his anger. The parable Stillwater shares with Karl to illustrate the point goes something like this:

Two monks are walking along a country path. They soon are met by a caravan, a group of attendants carrying their wealthy and not-so-kindly mistress and her possessions. They come to a muddy river, and cannot cross with both mistress and packages – they must put one down and cannot figure out how to do so. So the elder monk volunteers to carry the woman across the river, on his back, allowing the attendants to carry her things, and then all can go on their way. The woman does not thank him, and rudely pushes him aside to get back to her caravan. After traveling some way on their own, the younger monk turns to his master, and says, “I cannot believe that old woman! You kindly carried her across the muddy river, on your very own back, and not only did she not offer thanks, but she actually was quite rude to you!” The master calmly and quietly turned to his student, and offered this observation: “I put the women down some time ago. Why are you still carrying her?”

The story resonated with me as I read it, and both kids asked many questions about the literal events and about their meaning. We spoke about different religions – Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. They understood at a basic level the similarities and differences – though they interestingly both focused on the similarities. But it was the very nature of questioning that struck me as so apropos. I was reminded of a verse (15) from the Tao Te Ching:

Do you have the patience to wait

till your mud settles and the water is clear?

Can you remain unmoving

till the right action arises by itself?

This concept of mindfulness, of being in the present, is so important to both children and adults. I think children mainly do live in the moment. Both the past and future are strange concepts until they age a bit. Perhaps we should learn to keep more of this “now” with us as we age. It would serve us all well.

-KIWI columnist, Dr. Lawrence Rosen

Here’s the latest and greatest of what’s going on in the mom blogosphere. Interested in having your blog featured? Let us know in the comments!

• Yum! The Improvised Life shares tips for whipping up easy tarts on the fly—perfect for those need-to-be-used-now peaches.
• Are you a conscious shopper (or do you want to be one?)? Take the Green Phone Booth‘s Conscious Shopper Challenge and join a swap network.
• Sometimes, more is less. Natural as Possible Mom agrees, which is why she’s giving a lot of her family’s stuff away to friends.
• Line-drying your laundry in the summer’s a no-brainer, but you can do it year-round, Crunchy Chicken says.
• Why on Earth are some people still using plastic water bottles? Green SAHM offers some theories on why some people don’t buy earth-friendly products.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Recently, my friend sent me on an errand to pick up food for her six month old, who’s being raised on an organic diet.  While wandering through Whole Foods, I cam across Sprout—a baby food brand that I’d heard of before but didn’t know a whole lot about. To say the least, I was impressed.

Sprout’s foods are certified organic. For babies 6 months or older, they offer simple, single flavors like butternut squash, roasted apples, sweet peas, and roasted bananas. Tots over 7 months get tasty combinations like roasted apples and blueberries, oatmeal with roasted cinnamon applesauce, pasta with lentil bolognese, roasted bananas and brown rice, and sweet peas and green beans (mushy puree texture aside, these all sound pretty darn good!). What’s more, the meals come in pouches instead of jars, which are BPA-free and super easy to tote around in your diaper bag..

Find Sprout at Wegmans, Publix, or (of course) Whole Foods, or check ‘em out online at sproutbabyfood.com.

-Brittany KIWI staffer

I find grocery shopping totally overwhelming. For every one word on my list, there are fifty brands on the shelf competing for my business, trying to differentiate themselves with signifiers that don’t seem to have anything to do with why I need it. It helps to know that my mustard is Dijon or Yellow, but I don’t have the energy to decide whether I want my mustard to be in the tradition of Poland, Ireland, Holland, or India, whether I want it to contain Champagne or Chardonnay, be organic or just all-natural, be “One Mean Mustard” or a “Crazy Mother Pucker Maniacal Mustard.”  I don’t have the time, either. Actually, my barbecue starts in a half hour.

What’s worse, is that while navigating the complexities of branding, I now have to process more symbols cropping up on the packages of some of staple foods, like cereals and crackers and yogurts. They’re not exactly brand names—these small, colorful ovals and checks look like endorsements or seals of approval. Instinctually, they make me feel better about reaching for those products, but it’s unclear who’s giving me permission to feel good about them. Paranoid that I’m being manipulated by Big Food, I did some research into what these markings are all about. Of course, I’m not just being paranoid, all of these labels are industry-backed in some way. Here’s what I found out:

Smart Choices
This green check of distinction comes from the Smart Choices Program, in which companies pay to have their products reviewed for selection. Among the companies who signed up are Kraft, General Mills, and Pepsi; companies best known for polluting grocery store shelves with really terrible nutritional choices are footing the bill for a nutritional labeling program.

The good news? The program voluntarily stopped certifying products, after a lot of bad publicity, including criticism from the FDA, whose neutral, slightly complicated back-of-package labeling was compromised by the quick approval of a front-of-package check mark). Smart Choices’ criteria for selection was based on sheer nutrients, not the vehicle for those nutrients, which meant sugary cereals, vitamin enriched white bread, low-fat and regular mayonnaise all qualified.

Best Life

The green oval is the seal of approval of Best Life, a diet plan by Bob Greene and endorsed by Oprah Winfrey. The Best Life criteria are vague: “They contain one or more of the following nutritious ingredients: whole grains, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and other essential nutrients.”

Although it doesn’t say if companies pay for review by Best Life, the site calls the brands they approve of “partners,” and, with such expansive criteria, it’s impossible to imagine Oprah’s diet guru would have time to check every time on the shelf fairly. The list is hit or miss: offering healthy staples like Muir Glen organic canned veggies and Cascadian Farms cereals, but it also has dubious choices like artifically sweetened Slim Fasts, artificially-colored  yogurts. Also suspicious: Many of the brands listed—Progresso, Green Giant, Yoplait and more—are part of the General Mills family. Even if the General Mills products are healthy, it’s one company who is decidedly not involved in the Best Life plan for this planet.

Heart Check Mark

The red heart on your cereal box means that the American Heart Association has certified it a heart-healthy food. That means that the food is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, which is good, but even the certification note admits it’s only one aspect of reducing your risk of heart disease. Heart Check does not take sugar, calories, glycemic index into account—all of which can contribute to obesity and, in effect, heart disease. What’s the cost of this faint praise? To participate in the AHA’s certification program, manufacturers pay $7,500 per product the first year, and $4,500 every year after that.

Chalk it up to more proof that the real healthy foods don’t have boxes and wrappers to stick labels on. Next time I’m feeling stressed in the supermarket, I’ll stick to the perimeter.

-Kat, Editorial Intern

It’s been one hot summer. Here in Austin, Friday was the first day I can remember where the temp’s dropped below 100 degrees (earlier that week, it was 107!), and it was all the locals could do but marvel at how wonderfully cool it felt. Heck, 96 degrees might constitute a heat advisory in most parts of the country—but around here, we were picnicking outside. And I know central Texas isn’t the only place that’s been sizzling. My friends and family in the Northeast were constantly talking about the heatwave that never seemed to end. And whenever I watched Al Roker talk about what’s going on across the country, the words I heard most often were “heat advisory”.

Phew, I’m hot just thinking about it.

While I’d give anything to take my dog for a walk without breaking a sweat right now,(or to even be able to comfortably wear pants, or a shirt with sleeves!) I know I’ll be kicking myself come winter. If you’re in the same boat, I encourage you to enter the YoKids Real Food, Real Fun Sweepstakes for a chance to win a luxury-included family vacation to the warm, sunny Beaches Resort of your choice in Turks & Caicos or Jamaica. Come February when everyone else is trudging through the wind and slush, you could be lounging on the beach while working on your tan. And then you can thank me.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Biking is such a great, healthy, eco-friendly, family activity, but how do you know you’re buying the right bike gear?

Bikes are a big deal at my house. My husband Marc has three (in various states of ride-ability), and I have one (currently mainly collecting dust, which I blame on the dog, because I spend most of my outside time running with her). Because Marc is such a serious cyclist (he has the spandex and shaved legs to prove it), he/we get asked all the time for advice in picking out bikes and bike gear.

His number one rule is: Get a bike that fits. Go to a shop, get measured, and don’t be tempted by deals on ebay for bikes that would be just a little too big or small. Fit is key to happy, healthy riding. Also, he is anti-training wheels—says they don’t help kids learn balance. And as someone who didn’t learn to ride a bike until age 9, after many years with pink training wheels, I think he’s right.

One question that has stumped us in the past, though, is when parents ask us what kind of trailer or seat they should get for their kids. But now I have a solution. The Kangaroo bike is a safe, stylish way to ride around town with your kids (without having to look over your shoulder—dangerous!—to make sure they’re okay back there). Just wear a helmet, please, unlike the model in this picture! I love this review of it, too—lots of great detail.

I haven’t tried this out myself, but I trust that it’s great: The first U.S. importer of these bikes is J.C.Lind Bike Co. in Chicago—owned by the little (now all grown up) brother of one of my best grade school friends. Trust me: The Linds would never steer us wrong!

—Sarah, KIWI editorial director

By nature, weekends are indulgent, or at least more indulgent than the average work week. After all, it’s your family’s free time to do what you love, whether that means sleeping in, spending the entire afternoon at the park, or enjoying some extra delicious food. This weekend, I did all of the above–especially when it came to the food. Let’s see…Friday night I thoroughly enjoyed some homemade oatmeal raisin cookies crumbled over ice cream. Saturday night I thoroughly enjoyed a feast complete with wine, appetizers, and bread at a local Indian restaurant. Sunday afternoon I very much enjoyed sampling tons of different salsas at the annual Austin Hot Sauce Festival (to sample salsa, you need lots of tortilla chips) plus a snow cone to cool me down. Needless to say, I was not feeling my best by yesterday evening, and the only thing I wanted for dinner was refreshing, healthy fare.

And so, this light but satisfying noodle bowl was born. I used eggplant, shiitake mushrooms, and purslane (a wild green) because I had them on hand, but equal amounts of other summer vegetables would do just as well. Maybe zucchini, spinach, and green beans? Or summer squash and peppers? No matter the veggie combination, I guarantee you’ll thoroughly enjoy it.

Soba noodle bowl with summer veggies and miso tahini sauce
Prep time: 30 minutes (largely unattended)
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

1 large or 4 small eggplants, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 small bunch purslane or other greens
1 cup shelled edamame
1-2 hot peppers (optional)
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup yellow miso paste
8 ounces soba noodles
Salt, to taste

1. Place the eggplant pieces on a towel-lined pan or wire rack. Sprinkle liberally with salt. (This draws excess moisture out of the eggplant, and will make it taste smooth and creamy instead of spongy.) Don’t be afraid to use a lot of salt, as you’ll be rinsing it off. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
2. Place the eggplant pieces in a colander and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with a towel.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
4. Over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon canola oil in a saute pan. Add the eggplant, stirring every few minutes, until soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a bowl and set aside.
5. Add the other tablespoon of canola oil to the pan, then add the mushrooms. Let cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the purslane, edamame, and hot peppers and cook 2-3 minutes more. Add to the eggplant.
6. Add the soba noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
7. In a bowl, combine the tahini and miso paste with 1/4 cup water and mix well.
8. Drain noodles and combine with vegetables and miso tahini sauce. Serve hot.

Serves 4
Per serving: Calories 360, fat 21 g, protein 14 g, carbohydrates 35 g, dietary fiber 6 g

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Once upon a time, I was a third grader who only ate grilled cheese (okay, I probably ate some cookies, too). But broccoli? Sick. Bananas? Gag! Hummus? NO WAY, what the heck is that? It wasn’t until the tail end of high school that I started trying new, healthy foods—and it turned out I really loved all of the above. Especially hummus.

At first, I thought you could only get the stuff from a plastic tub in the grocery store. In a pinch, this is still a welcome option, but once I learned that hummus was super easy to make mysekf, I started doing it all the time. And the results spoke for themselves (and still do!): When I lived at home, my sister would devour the entire batch (with a side of baby carrots) upon arriving back from work late at night, famished. Now, if my husband knows there’s a batch of fresh hummus in the fridge, it’s sure not to last very long. He’ll pile it on top of a piece of toast with some avocado and happily munch (while I silently mutter that he’s not going to have any room left for the dinner I’m preparing).

The bottom line: Fresh hummus doesn’t hold a candle to the prepackaged stuff, and with cooked or canned chickpeas, you can whip up the versatile spread in about 3 minutes.  Here’s my version.

My favorite hummus

4 cups cooked chickpeas, or 2 16-ounce cans, drained and rinsed
1 large clove garlic
4 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 large lemon
2 tablespoons water
Big pinch of salt

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and mix until smooth and creamy. Hummus will keep covered, in the refrigerator, for 4 days (if you don’t eat it all before that).

Serves many, depending on how you eat it.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Have you ever really thought about adhesives? (I know I never had!) Not craft glue for art projects, but the heavy-duty stuff used to hold wood furniture together. Like most glues, the average wood adhesive contains formaldehyde-emitting petroleum, which has been shown to cause water eyes, plus nose, mouth, and throat irritation, as may be related to cancer. This isn’t stuff you want to have in your house, to be sure, and a healthier solution may be on the horizon: Say hello to soy!

From food to housing insulation, people have been using soy for centuries. Now, soy flour is being used in wood glue, too. The new sticky soy stuff works just as well as it’s petroleum-based counterparts, say scientists at the USDA, who have been testing the new formula under a variety of conditions. Currently, soy glue for wood makes up only 5 percent of the wood adhesive market, but this number could rise to nearly 20 percent by 2014, says the United Soy Board.

-Jillian, KIWI intern

It’s summer, and baby showers are in full swing. Another invitation means another organic gift—and this time, I’m choosing Lafe’s. I heard about the company through a friend who swears by their natural deodorant, and after checking out their website for myself, I was super impressed by their selection of natural and organic products. Lafe’s is the first organic, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free baby care line free of BPA, phthalates, parabens, propylene glycol, pesticides, and SLS.

Offerings include a foaming shampoo and wash, baby oil, insect repellent, baby lotion, plus an aloe vera-infused deodorant for moms-to-be. Best of all, Lafe’s donates 1 percent of company profits to support breast cancer awareness and prevention. “What goes on your body goes in your body—so it’s important to use products made from natural ingredients,” says founder, Lafe Larson.

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

Last week, my husband and I picked up our first CSA share from Johnson’s Backyard Garden, a certified-organic farm right outside of Austin. You might think it’s a little late in the year to just be joining a CSA, but here in central Texas, the growing season runs year round. (Lucky, I know—but we pay for it in other ways, like three months straight of triple-digit temperatures outside.) In fact, while August is peak harvesting time for fresh fruits and veggies in most parts of the country, the brutal sun and super hot weather make late summer the leanest produce months ’round these parts. The tomatoes, corn, and squash will be back next month once things start to cool off a bit, but right now, we’ve got peppers. I added them to a bunch of different dishes (have to use them up before we get more this week!), but putting them in this black bean bowl was by far our favorite.

This dish is delicious hot or cold. We ate it with cornmeal biscuits, but wheat or corn tortillas would be another good choice.

Black bean and pepper bowl
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 bell peppers, sliced into matchsticks (we had one red, one green, and one purple, but any color combination will do)
2 long sweet peppers, sliced into matchsticks
1 serrano chile, diced (if your family isn’t a fan of heat, leave this out!)
2 teaspoons cumin
4 cups cooked black beans (or 2 16-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
Salt, to taste
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into cubes

1. In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring every few minutes, until browned, 5-7 minutes.
2. Add the bell pepper and sweet pepper slices and cook another 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the chile and cumin and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add the black beans and stir the mixture a few times to combine well. Add 1/4 cup water and cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Remove from heat.
5. Serve the beans and peppers in a bowl, garnished with chopped avocado. If you’d like, you can stir and lightly mash the mixture so the avocado forms a sort of dressing.

Serves 6
Per serving: Calories 280, fat 10 g, protein 12 g, carbohydrates 39 g, dietary fiber 14 g

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

With the school year starting (my little brother in Illinois starts tomorrow: hi Thomas!), I’m hearing a lot about milk when it comes to keeping kids on a healthy eating track. Milk in your breakfast oatmeal (packs an added protein punch you don’t get from water), to send in lunches (vitamin D for these recess-deprived kids), to serve with dinner (guaranteed calcium for those who pick over their broccoli).

So yes, milk can do a lot for you, nutritionally, and yes, I personally love it. (Organic, of course, and with omega-3s, like Horizon and Organic Valley.) But not all our KIWI readers are milk-loving households. Allergies and other concerns mean a lot of you are passing by the milk and trying to figure out what to buy instead. Besides soy, one of the most common alternatives, here are a few options:

* Goat milk. For those allergic to cow’s milk but not opposed to drinking animal milk, goat milk is a great choice. Actually, it’s a great choice anyway: It has more calcium than cow’s milk, and can be easier for some people to digest. Check out Meyenberg, which you can get in whole or low fat.

* Coconut milk. Your kid might not be into drinking this straight or in cereal, but it’s perfect in cooking and desserts—like ice cream. Ever tried Coconut Bliss (it’s organic!)? School may be starting, but it’s always a good time for ice cream.

*B.R.A.T drink. You may have heard of the Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast diet for kids who aren’t feeling well (though the AAP doesn’t recommend it instead of a normal diet, long-term), and the Organic B.R.A.T drink is perfect for kids with a tummy ache or the flu. But it’s also a good alternative to milk for calcium, and kids can drink it any day with their meals, not just when they’re sick (I’ve tried it and it tastes good, don’t worry).

What do you use instead of milk?

—Sarah, KIWI editorial director

Yoga and I have never been friends. I have a natural, um, gift of waking up as though I’ve already had 10 cups of coffee, which means BAM! I’m off—racing around with to-do lists of to-do lists of lists I-really-have-to-do….Let’s just say more than one person over the years has suggested that I try yoga to help me relax. Or, as my mom put it: “Yoga could help you be less of a high-strung nut-job.” That’s a compliment, right? Thanks, mom.

So fine, I can take a hint. I bought myself a yoga DVD a couple years back, and gave myself a pep talk that yes, I can bend it like Gumby. Right. I’ll spare you the entire story, but my first try was my last try: During a particularly delicate pose where my foot somehow made it up near my head, I looked over just in time to see an airborne blur of black and white fur barreling towards me, landing full-force on my stomach. The hairball with feet was Sniffles, my ridiculous cat, who’d been in hot pursuit of an imaginary mouse. And so my yoga session ended with fur flying, bad words being uttered, and Sniffles and I not speaking to each other for the rest of the day.

Which brings me to this morning when I was sitting at my desk, busily drafting the third version of today’s to-do list, when I saw an article headline, “New study finds connection between yoga and mood.” Eh? If it means a bad not-loving-my-cat kinda mood, I can relate. On further investigation (don’t worry, I added “further investigate yoga and mood” to my to-do list), it turns out that a new study from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) shows a link between yoga, increased GABA levels, (a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps create a calm state—of which I seem to be lacking entirely) and decreased anxiety. Now we’re talking. I contacted the lead study author, Chris Streeter, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at BUSM to see what’s up with the study (i.e., what’s in it for me).

Here’s the gist of the findings:

· Study participants—random, healthy, yoga rookies—who practiced yoga three times a week for one hour, reported a more significant decrease in anxiety and greater improvements in mood than those who walked for the same period of time.

· This is the first study to demonstrate an association between yoga, increased GABA levels, (low GABA levels have been linked with depression and anxiety) and decreased anxiety.

· Regularly practicing yoga could be a potential therapy for certain anxiety issues due to yoga’s positive effect on  GABA levels.

Okay, but what if, oh, I don’t know, there’s someone who’s had a poor yoga experience in her past, meaning the thought of doing it three times a week for an hour each time sounds about as fun as cleaning out a litter box—even though this person could, perhaps, benefit from a little relaxing? Well, while there’s no specific data on different doses of yoga, says Dr. Streeter, bottom line: Any yoga is better than none—that is, as long as it’s done under the instruction of a trained professional, and preferably without any imaginary mice that need pursuing. And so for people with anxiety (and really, who doesn’t have anxiety?), it may be time to start getting familiar with some serious downward dogging.

That’s it, Sniffles. You, me, and the yoga DVD have a date tonight. Wish me luck.

-Amy, KIWI articles editor