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85 Snack Ideas for Kids (and Adults)!

By Lisa, on July 31st, 2012

If you’re in a rut here are some snack ideas for inspiration. Please leave any additional suggestions in the comments below…

Fruits and Vegetables…

  1. Apple (good with peanut butter)
  2. Banana (good with peanut butter)
  3. Carrots (good with hummus or ranch dip)
  4. Celery (good with peanut butter and raisins a.k.a. “Ants on a Log”)
  5. Mango
  6. Pear
  7. Grapes
  8. Strawberries (good with yogurt)
  9. Blueberries (good with yogurt)
  10. Raspberries (good with yogurt)
  11. Oranges
  12. Peaches (good with yogurt)
  13. Plums
  14. Kiwi Continue Reading »

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Recipes: Mara’s Peanut-Thai Pasta and Feta Pasta Salad

By Lisa, on July 27th, 2012

Maras Farfalle Recipes from 100 Days of Real FoodI was recently introduced to Mara’s Pasta, which is a unique type of whole-wheat pasta developed by a dad after he could not get his daughter (Mara) to accept the flavor and texture of standard whole-wheat pasta. Concerned about the lack of nutrition in the white flour pasta she was regularly consuming he decided to make his very own milder version of whole-wheat pasta that was both nutritious and delicious (what a nice dad!). Most pasta products are made from Durum wheat, which has a distinct taste and texture that most of us are familiar with, but Mara’s Pasta is made from its very own unique variety of (non-GMO) wheat called MaragrainTM.

Mara’s Pasta recently asked if I could develop some recipes using their products, which I am excited to share with you below. But don’t stop there because Mara’s also has an entire page on their website dedicated to recipes including some that will help you utilize all your fresh summer produce including “Mara’s Fettuccine with corn, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro” and “Mara’s Whole Wheat Fettuccine with Tomato Basil Sauce.” Also, if you’d like to get 15% off your Mara’s Pasta order use coupon code “100DAYS” (now through August 5th) and then “update” your shopping cart before checking out on their website. A big thank you Mara’s for sponsoring today’s post!

Mara’s Peanut-Thai Pasta

The ingredients in this pasta sauce may sound unusual at first, but the end product is an exotic and delicious combination. My girls loved this recipe so much that they even accidentally ate a few cucumbers along the way. I will definitely be making this again…possibly even for their school lunch boxes soon where I think I’ll dice the cucumbers even smaller so they are harder to pick out. :)

Peanut-Thai Pasta Recipe from 100 Days of Real Food Continue Reading »

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Being Polite vs. Honoring Your Values

By Lisa, on July 24th, 2012

I am learning that being offered processed food when you’d rather avoid it is a hot topic. The other day on Facebook I asked, “What do you do when someone offers your children a treat that’s likely full of artificial dyes/flavors, preservatives, and other chemicals?” I was floored at the range of answers….here are a few examples many of which are at opposite ends of the spectrum:

“I think it is best to be gracious to people that don’t eat like you and accept their food.”

“I let my kids have them. I figure I have control over the majority of their food, so I’m not going to worry about the few times when I don’t.”

“Sorry this is crazy let kids be kids.”

“I agree with many others who have said it’s all about balance and moderation. We eat a whole food lifestyle on a daily basis…but, whenever there are special occasions, social events, etc., we just go with the flow and enjoy the company! :) ”

“If it is from a stranger like at a bank, we say ‘No thank you, we’ll have a treat after lunch.’ or something else polite. If it is at a party, I feed my kids before we go so they can eat party food, but won’t be so hungry that they eat a lot. If it’s at a playdate, then we bring something healthy to share, usually a fresh fruit tray full of my kids favorites. They’ll eat the junk too, but not as much.”

“I am sort of surprised at some of the replies. This is a ‘real food’ page. Of course some are at different levels but to say things like ‘this is crazy. let kids be kids!’ — I do not understand! I don’t think what kids eat define how great their child hood is or isn’t?!?!” Continue Reading »

58

“Real Food” Photo Dump II

By Lisa, on July 20th, 2012

I once again took too many photos this week to share them all on my Facebook wall, so here’s my second ever “real food” photo dump for the week!

Before I dive right in though check out this product from one of our sponsors, MadeOn …an all natural bug block! Mosquitoes love me so I’ve been trying to find a good deet-free product that I like. The problem is though that some of these sprays just outright stink! I tried some Badger spray a couple weeks ago, and I literally couldn’t sit still because the smell was so strong it was making me nauseous. So I was thrilled to find this MadeOn bug repellent made from only a handful of natural ingredients that actually smells kind of good…in a non-overpowering kind of way. :) MadeOn is offering 15% off all their products with the code “100Days”.

So anyway…back to my musings of the week!

  • I love going to the grocery store and looking at food products. It’s especially fun to read the ingredients on items I haven’t previously researched. Call me crazy, but I think this thought-provoking activity is actually kind of fun. :) But sometimes it leaves me scratching my head. I completely understand why some choose to go vegetarian or vegan, but what I don’t understand is replacing meat with highly processed imitation meat products. If you want to be a vegetarian why not just stick with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, etc? Just curious…

Continue Reading »

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Food Babe Investigates: Sabotaged at Starbucks

By Food Babe, on July 18th, 2012

Vani Hari (a.k.a. The Food Babe) is a regular contributor on 100 Days of Real Food. To learn more about Vani check her out on “Our Team” page.

Trying to get through the maze of what is offered at Starbucks can be pretty daunting – hopefully this information will clear up any nagging thoughts about what’s REALLY in their food and drinks. I couldn’t help but shake my head at the things I uncovered, which had me asking – how many times have people unknowingly gotten sabotaged at Starbucks?

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Starbucks was using crushed up bugs to color their Strawberry Frappuccinos. Luckily, they responded to the public outcry and eliminated that beetle juice. You’d think they would have taken the time to clean up the rest of their menu, but no such luck. Did you know that Starbucks uses ingredients that are scarier than bugs and could even be harmful to your health? That’s where the real sabotage begins…

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Top 5 Ways To Get Sabotaged At Starbucks:

1. Coffee

You might think it is a bit radical to suggest not drinking their most prized ingredient that makes over 85,000 different combination of drinks, but it’s also radical drinking and paying a premium for coffee that’s ridden with potential toxins. Continue Reading »

37

Preserving Seasonal Foods: Bell Peppers

By Lisa, on July 13th, 2012

Bell pepper season has officially started, and I am pretty excited about it. It’s hard to think of another vegetable I like this much that’s also so versatile (tomatoes might be a close second!). We enjoy eating bell peppers in so many dishes from fajitas to gumbo to grilled panini sandwiches to pizza (as a topping) and even as raw slices dipped in some hummus or homemade ranch. Plus my other favorite thing about bell peppers is that the season feels fairly long compared to other fresh produce. I don’t know about you but I feel like strawberries, peaches, and raspberries are here and gone in a flash. So if you’re one to procrastinate you’ve still got a little time left to stock up and preserve fresh bell peppers before the season ends.
Continue Reading »

 
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