Mmmmm....Granola Bars

So I can't take credit for this granola bar recipe....I got it from my friend Becky who got it from someone else. I have just tweaked it a little and added reasons for using different ingredients. All I known is these babies are.. (in the words of Rachel Ray) YUM - O! Here it is:

“Whatever Kind You Want Them to Be” Granola Bars

1 cup Brown Sugar (I use 3/4 cup or less)
2/3c Peanut Butter (natural kind - no sugar added - we use chunky
1/2 c Honey (and if it's RAW local honey, even better for you!)
1/2c melted butter
2tsp vanilla
3 cups oats (I use 2 cups organic steal cut and 1 cup organic rolled - I like the texture of the steal cut oats in these bars - plus steal cut oats have more health benefits than rolled oats. I also really think this is key in the texture of the granola bars)
2 tsp seasame seeds (good source of calcium and nice added crunch)
1/3c ground flax seed (I usually just dump this in - I think I add more like 1/2-3/4 cup - I've also used wheat bran when we were out of ground flax - that worked too)

Mix together in the order listed (the melted butter will allow you to mix the pb and honey). Line Jelly Roll pan with parchment paper and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or so. I let them to cool, pull them out by using the parchemtn paper and then cut them with a pizza cutter into bars.)
Add Ins: 1 cup mini choc chips
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
really anything you want=)


My favorite add ins: regular and golden raisins (makes them look pretty), sliced raw almonds, and pumpkin seeds. ENJOY!!!

It Doesn't Have To Be Complicated

So this morning - it's a Saturday and we all rolled out of bed around 8am. My kiddos wanted something "special" for breakfast - I didn't want to take the time - so I looked in the fridge and found I had a lot of eggs and a loaf of organic bread. (from Trader Joes..only $1.99) I made french toast with 5 ingredients in less than 5 minutes. Organic bread, local eggs, org. whipping cream (or whole milk), a tablespoon of raw sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Served with pure maple syrup and a bit of butter. No recipe - very little time - a fairly healthy "special" breakfast for my family. Our usual breakfast usually includes a slice of Organic Sprouted Grain Ezekiel Bread with natural (non-sweetened) peanut butter and a grean smoothie - or oatmeal.

But My Kids Won't Eat It

I hear this comment once in a while. While I think there are some things that are not desireable to a kiddos taste buds - I do think that we under-estimate what our kids will eat. If you've been feeding your kiddos preservative filled, high sodium, high sugar, artificially flavored and processed food their whole life, this is probably what they will want. Just like us - if we are accustomed to the taste of these things - it will take us a while to re-learn what REAL food tastes like and start to really enjoy it. So - start small. Make small and easy changes. Switch from Kraft Mac-N Cheese to Annie's Mac or Trader Joes Mac. These "natural" brands don't have artificial flavors, colors or MSG - and they are often made with organic ingredients.
In our house - we add frozen organic peas or broccoli and sometimes a can of Tongol Tuna (there is a reason for tongol - it has the lowest mercury levels of any canned tuna) This is by far my kids favorite lunch!
And then there's veggies - I've found that when my kids are the MOST hungry is the best time to give them veggies. Like just before dinner - I will put out some raw veggies with a bit of "DIP" as my little one calls it. I use some kind of home-made or store bought natural salad dressing. One of my kids faves is "Newmans Own" Balsalmic Vinegrette. Today - my son dipped his carrots in a mustard dressing I didn't think he would like - but then again, he always suprises me. He was "Drinking salsa" last time we went out for Mexcian food. . and he's not even 2. Go figure!

To the right is a pic of My little "educated" consumer)

Why this blog?

I LOVE food...and I've been asked often enough about what our family eats and why, so.....I've decided to write about it. To begin...I am no expert. I only have a passion for natural / healthful living and a desire to help others make better choices in what they use in their home and what they put into their bodies. My desire for "good" food I suppose came orginally from growing up in a home with a mom that made wholesome home-cooked meals most of the time. I married a chiropractor and during his schooling I learned along with him as he went through his nutrition courses. Since then - we've gradually added more and more organic, natural, and locally grown food to our diets.

My blog will include practical things my family eats and what we try to avoid and why. I will try to include links to research and other information as I have time. I am not an expert and don't claim to have all the correct information. I have done a fair amount of reading/research on food etc. and have taken some steps toward a healthier lifestyle and I can share that with you. And while I welcome feedback and ideas - this blog is not created to be a place for debate.

I recently heard Kelly Hayford, author of "If It's Not Food Don't Eat It" speak and she said "According to Sir Richard Doll, MD a leading cancer researcher at Oxford University in England, upwards of 70% of all cancer cases are probably related to diet." But on the flipside she said "60 to 90% or chronic, degenerative disease can e prevented by diet and lifestyle." So...I have some motivation!