I think I may need to do a once monthly column on new food products I have reviewed. Lately here I have been getting more and more food product pitches from companies and have been pleasantly surprised to find some really good eats among the offerings. I don’t buy processed foods all that often but a I do buy some for convenience’s sake if they are healthy enough to justify it. Some of my recent discoveries wowed me enough to ensure that I will keep buying.

The first product I have to mention is Melt Buttery Spread. When I first read the email I only skimmed it and thought it was a pitch for a margarine-like butter substitute. We are big pastured butter fans here. REAL butter with all its healthy and delicious fats. I was just about ready to hit the delete button when I noticed the mention of coconut oil. So then I had to go back through and read more carefully and this time I was intrigued. It is a butter substitute, which I really didn’t have a need for, but instead of margarine with its unhealthy soy oils and transfats, this spread has healthy fats via coconut oil. It is organic, has Omega 3 fatty acids, has no GMO ingredients, is gluten free, soy free, trans fat free, and has no preservatives or artificial coloring. So if it has healthy fats like butter does then why use Melt? It has half the calories. While I do love me some butter I think it is all too easy with nourishing, real foods to overdo it on the portion sizes and calories. I think Melt has provided us with a nice way to enjoy even more of the creamy buttery goodness without so many calories. Its a win win.

Ingredients: Organic oil blend (organic virgin coconut oil, organic palm fruit oil, organic canola oil, organic hi-oleic sunflower oil, organic flaxseed oil), water, organic unsalted butter, sea salt, organic butter flavor, non-GMO sunflower lecithin, tocopherols, annatto-turmeric.

We have used Melt for a couple months now and will keep purchasing if we see it in our local stores. We will keep buying butter too but I can see a place in our frig for both. A whole wheat english muffin just tastes divine with Melt on it because you get just a hint of coconut flavor from the coconut oil. Yum!!

The second stand out winner was That’s it Fruit Snack Bars. I decided to accept some of these because I thought they would be good snacks for the kids. And I am sure they are but I wouldn’t know because none of the bars made it to my kids. I ended up tasting the cherry/apple bar and deciding that these were PERFECT for pre-workout and post workout snacking. They are tasty and satisfying but not overly heavy. Love them! It is seriously hard to find good snack bars and protein bars that are healthy I tell ya.

These taste like real fruit roll ups but they are thick like a Lara bar. The only ingredient in them is fruit so you get 2 servings of healthy fruits with each bar and they have high levels of antioxidants and minerals. The 3 flavors are apple/cherry (1 apple, 10 cherries), apple/apricot (1 apple, 3 apricots), and apple/pear (1 apple, 1 pear). My fave is the apple/apricot. I have always been a fan of dried apricots. My second fave is the apple/pear. You can buy them via their online store or on Amazon. I have continued to buy these and probably will for a long time to come.

While we are talking about snack bars it seems a good time to mention Two Degrees Bars. This company makes healthy, all-natural, gluten-free nutrition bars in three delicious flavors. Two of them are fruit/nut combos and one is a nut/chocolate combo. I got one of each flavor from Klout, a member perk. I loved all of the flavors but sadly they have soy lecithin as an ingredient. They did not seem to adversely affect me the way soy protein isolate does but I cannot help that I am totally anti-soy now. I probably wouldn’t buy them again for that reason. They were delicious though.

Lastly I got a couple loaves of Rudi’s Organic bakery bread to try recently. Their breads are organic and gluten free. They were also tasty as well. We don’t eat that much bread here but I think theirs is a pretty good option compared to most of the products in the bread isle at conventional grocery stores.

Have any new products at your natural grocer knocked your socks off lately?

I have written about eating well on less money many times. This post on affordable organic food is a popular one. Even though I think it is totally possible to eat well and not spend a fortune it can be a difficult and delicate process. I asked fans on my Facebook page how much they spend on food, assuming that they eat mostly organic, whole, nourishing foods. The answers varied but it seemed that families with only 2 or 3 managed to get away with spending only $200-400 per month. When the family size went up to 4-5 the amount rose to an average of $750-$800. I had an inkling that I had gotten a little lazy with my own family’s budget and thanks to Mint.com I was able to quickly see that we spent over $1000 on food in August. This month I put a little more effort into it and I think we will end up around $850. That still seems high to me but what we are paying in money, we are not paying in doctor bills. Food, in my mind, is like a supplemental insurance policy. We almost never have to go see doctors anymore. What once was a large annual expense we wrote off on our taxes is now only a couple hundred dollars a year and that is mostly from preventative stuff like teeth cleaning and state hoops we have to jump through (our two boys both have IEPs).

So once I reminded myself of how healthy we are and how we rarely get sick I stopped feeling guilty about that $850 and started patting myself on the back. I don’t feel a bit guilty about the $65 a month we spend on gym memberships or the gas money we use to get to and from almost every day of the week between the two of us. So why feel guilty about nourishing my body, and my family’s bodies, with the best food? I shouldn’t and I have to let that go. But even so, I like a challenge and the idea that I could whittle that down even further appealed to me. I also happened to run across the book Wildly Affordable Organic: Eat Fabulous Food, Get Healthy, and Save the Planet–All on $5 a Day or Less at the library and it was a great read.

The author, Linda Watson, was inspired to try an experiment in the summer of 2007 when food philosophy and food politics came to the forefront. It was inspired by the work of Michael Pollan and the Food Stamp Challenge whereby some were trying to live on the national food stamp allowance of a dollar a meal. When public figures attempted the challenge and bemoaned how impossible it was, she talked her husband into doing the challenge with her so they could see just how well you could eat on a dollar a day. She also took a full time job outside the home while this was going on so that her attempt would be realistic to the lives of the working class. She and her husband discovered a lot on that journey but perhaps the most important thing was that they could eat healthy food on so little money AND they felt better physically than they had in a long while.

The book has two sets of meal plans. The “green” plan, which is the $5 plan, involves cooking with organic, sustainable, and kindly raised ingredients. The “thrifty” plan picks ingredients with a focus on cost. All recipes are vegetarian because the author is and I think that is awesome because IMO our society is meat obsessed. Whether you decide to be a vegetarian or not I think it is vital to know how to turn out lots of meatless meals, especially if you are on a budget. The meals plans in this book are compatible with the food stamp budget per person allotted by the state where the author lives (North Carolina).

I thought the book was quite excellent. It walks you through a bunch of educational info and pricing information so that you can get a feel for how to save money while still buying the pricier, healthier options. The recipes also look quite tasty although many of them would be adapted in my house to use less grains. I have said it a million times but veggie based cookbooks and recipe plans are heavy on bread and grains. This one isn’t too bad but I would still make some changes here and there.. mostly using a different sweetener here or coconut flour in leu of whole wheat flour there, etc.

The author also gives recipes for making your own bread, yogurt, and pizza dough. I admit that I do not bake my own bread and that is mostly because we do not buy enough or eat enough to justify it. My 5 year old son is usually the only one who demands bread and buying a loaf every two weeks is not breaking the budget. Still I plan on making bread more often over the winter. My sourdough starter has just come out of hibernation (the frig) and I plan to see if I can get a second hand heating pad for helping dough to rise. We already make our own sourdough pizza though I am going to add some of the seasonal toppings recommened in this book. Kale pizza here we come!

I already make yogurt at home but I could do it more because we still buy some at the store as well. We are big yogurt eaters here. Another recipe I want to try is the homemade burger buns. We have some turkey burger enthusiasts in the house and my hubby is always lamenting the crappy ingredients in his burger buns. I think he might like these.

After reading I made a list of ways I think I can whittle down food costs even more without sacrificing the quality of our food and most of that is all about planning better.

How about you? Do you feel that eating well can happen on a food stamp budget?

Awhile back I asked the Natural Family Living Facebook fans what their favorite cookbook was. I am ALWAYS in the market for something new and tasty to cook and the answers provided an excellent mix of real foods and nourishing foods cookbooks. There were also some specialty cookbooks that came highly recommended. Here are the cookbooks that ranked the highest. Enjoy and comment below if you have any suggestions to add!

First on the list was Nourishing Traditions. This was to be expected. I don’t know many real foods enthusiasts that don’t have a copy. It is on my bookshelf as well. Written by Sally Fallon of WAPF fame, it is full of traditional recipes that are nourishing and nutrient dense. It is so well accepted because it challenges the rather modern idea that we need to eat low fat diets. Rather fats and cholesterol are vital to normal growth, proper function of the brain and nervous system, protection from disease and optimum energy levels. If you love your pastured butter and cream you will likely love this book.

Also highly rated was The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters. Alice is a chef and a food activist who has spent years trying to bring fresh, local, sustainable foods back to our plates. She has even been called the mother of American Food. Her cookbook is full of simple, seasonal recipes that are simply delicious. In my opinion it is like The Joy of Cooking for real food cooks. 4 ingredient soda bread, onion custard pie, nectarine and blueberry crisp… YUM!

The Blue Heron Cookbook (pictured above) is a cookbook full of recipes that are served at the Blue Heron Zen Retreat Center. It is just a fascinating cookbook and the hand drawn pictures just give it such a dreamy, whimsical feel. Recipes we particularly liked where the Banana Bread (which uses whole wheat flour and honey), the Sunday Pancakes, and the Simply Miso Soup. If you have a cook in the family, they would be delighted to get this unique book as a gift.

The Moosewood Cookbook is a classic and one of the best selling cookbooks of all time. Even better it has lots of healthy, real food recipes. Hand-drawn pictures and handwritten recipes make it feel like Grandma’s secret recipe book.

Feeding the Whole Family concentrates on healthy, organic, whole foods meals that everyone in the family will enjoy. Many times it can be tempting to make one dish for the grown ups and something else for the kids but these meals are designed to be healthy and savory while appealing to all family members.

Mediterranean food is considered by many to be one of the healthiest cuisines around. I also happen to think it is the tastiest as well so those that recommended Mediterranean Harvest are gals after my own heart. It has 500 vegetarian recipes from this region. Olive oil and garlic, herbs and spices, tomatoes and eggplants, peppers and squash, figs and peaches, seasonal produce, crusty bread, local cheese, the freshest yogurt, and wine. Yep, this one is a winner.

One of my fave cookbooks that seems to be well received everywhere is A Spoonful of Ginger – Irresistible, health-giving, recipes from Asian kitchens. I love Asian cuisine so any cookbook that helps me replicate some of their most flavorful dishes while keeping it real and healthy gets an A+ in my book. LOVE the sweet and sour soup!

On my wish list is a newer cookbook called Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen.

Hungry yet?

One of the most important places that we can make an impact in child nutrition is the school lunch. Have you seen what is on school menus these days? Chicken nuggets, pizzas, burgers, mac and cheese, sugar laden drinks, and french fries are what is passing for veggies these days. It is truly sad that often times it is cheaper for parents to let their kids eat at school rather than to pack a lunch. This may be why @DrPraegers had designated each Wednesday as Healthy Lunchbox Day and parents are encouraged to pack a veggie rich, healthy lunch for the day. The idea that we might need to completely overhaul our kids diet can seem daunting, especially if your kids have been raised on the Standard American Diet (SAD). Healthy Lunchbox Day breaks this into an achievable goal… make Wednesday the day you give your child’s lunchbox a makeover and work from there. Baby steps right? Start small and help your kids establish healthy eating habits for life.

Here are some quickie lunchbox makeover tips:

• Use sprouted whole wheat bread instead the “white stuff”.
• Blend veggies into a hearty soup and send your child to school with a thermos.
• Add greens like spinach to fruit muffins. They won’t even know they are there!
• Use nori sheets to add funny faces to fruits and veggies.
• Sprinkle veggies with Parmesan cheese.
• Add snap peas to their lunch and almond butter or peanut butter for dipping.
• Instead of plain old carrot sticks pack some jicama sticks for variety.
• Sliced cucumbers go well with rice wine vinegar.
• Grated carrots can be hidden in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as well as grilled cheese sandwiches.
• Hide broccoli sprouts or bean sprouts in the bottom of a pita.
• Make a chocolate pudding with avocado.
• Finely chopped veggies can be disguised in egg salad sandwiches.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds, sunflower seeds or flax seeds on top of salads and sandwiches.

Dr. Praeger’s is a company that makes healthier food options for kids including nuggets that have spinach, sweet potatoes, and other healthy ingredients. Their all-natural, delicious and nutrient-rich options that are a great way to help kids eat sensibly, maintain a healthy lifestyle and make smart food choices. Whether you serve their line of foods or you cook from scratch the goal is shine the spotlight on healthy foods and start those healthy eating habits early.

Any way you slice it, it is a monumental job in this age of sugary, processed, chemical laden food. Do you have any secret tips to share that have worked in your family?

This is part of a campaign sponsored by Dr.Praeger’s that I have been participating in for the month of September.

A few months back my husband and I fell in love with coconut juice/water. I had long known the claims surrounding it and we already used coconut oil, coconut flour, and the fresh meat from young coconuts for raw desserts, coconut yogurt and coconut kefir. Coconut is just all around one of the most AMAZING foods you can consume. But despite that we didn’t buy the individual bottles of coconut juice. Water seemed to work just fine for our hydration needs.

Earlier this year though my husband kind of kicked off a new wave of fitness goals around here when he joined a workplace challenge. Unlike many workplaces in this country my husband’s actually wants to try and do something about outrageous healthcare costs and so they negotiate breaks on insurance costs by actively encouraging their employees to be healthier. The employees participate because the payoff might be a large monetary bonus or a new flat screen TV. The company benefits by having healthier employees and by getting cheaper rates when they can show their insurance carrier their progress. Well, my husband started running every day and lifting weights. He didn’t end up winning the challenge at work but he won in his mind and mine because he started looking like his teenage self again. Both of us were pretty muscular and active in years past and seeing him get closer to his old physique was enough to send me to the gym too. ;) Both of us embarked on a journey into fitness, weight lifting, running, barefoot shoes, protein shakes, food supplements, and various other things including… coconut water.

What makes coconut water different from plain old water is the electrolytes: calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and phosphorous. When we exercise for any length of time and sweat a lot, our body can be depleted and the electrolytes help us recover faster. This is why sports drinks are so popular but I happen to think Gatorade and most other sports drinks taste nasty. They also have artificial sugar which is no good IMO. Coconut water is a natural source of electrolytes with natural sugars and it is low in calories and fat if you want to watch that type of thing. I happen to like the extra calories (compared to water) because it can be tough to get all your calorie requirements met when you eat heavy on the fruits and veggies. I just went over this with my mom who was not eating nearly enough calories on her almost vegan diet and replacing water with coconut water in her twice daily green smoothies was just one way to get more calories without making her feel like she was eating all day long.

Anyway, we tried and liked one of the major coconut water brands. The only issue was that I did not like the way they tasted straight up so I it was green smoothie or nothing for me. Then I came across Amy and Brian Coconut Juice on Twitter and they offered to send me some cans for review. It has turned out to be a match made in heaven.

One issue I had with some other coconut drinks is that they come in plastic bottles or non-recyclable juice boxes. I didn’t really care for either of these packaging options. Amy and Brian Coconut Juice comes in cans, which have their drawbacks as well, but I prefer them overall. No one is making a glass bottle coconut juice/water that I know of. ;) Also I like the taste 1000% better than any other brand I have tried and that may be because it is coconut water mixed with some of the coconut flesh. My fave option, as well as my husband’s, was the coconut juice with pulp. It looks a little strange but it is delicious! I LOVE the chunks of coconut swimming around and I can drink it straight up or in a green smoothie.

The cost is not to bad either. These are big cans with two servings so we can easily use half and save it for the next day if we want. My husband prefers to drink only one serving but I have no issue downing a whole can. You can buy a 12 pack on Amazon and use the subscribe & save feature to get them for  just over $25. That qualifies you for free shipping and the per can price is just over 2.00.  Hubs and I buy Amazon gift cards through Giant Eagle so we can get the fuelperks to and that ends up knocking off another $6 on two 12 packs. Right now my husband and I are both lifting 4 days a week. We will usually have Amy and Brian Coconut Juice mixed in a green smoothie on gym days. On off days we drink almond milk and whey protein powder shakes. It seems to be working out well for us right now and we plan to keep buying since we like them so much.

But what about their impact on the planet? Well, I came across an article on the Mother Jones web site that addresses the sustainability of coconut products and overall coconut farming is pretty easy on the environment. Coconuts require little fertilizer, and their giant root systems help prevent soil erosion. The tough husks also mean that pesticides are rarely used. For the most part coconut farming is still done by small scale family operations so that that is a nice perk. Shipping to the US is the biggest environmental impact, as with many products. Coconut products go on my list of acceptable compromises (along with bananas and pineapple) in our household.

Green Smoothie Recipe:

Popeye’s Coconut Surprise

1 can Amy and Brian Coconut Juice w/pulp
1 banana (frozen or fresh)
1 cup of frozen fruit ( I used peaches)
3 cups fresh spinach
1-2 scoops greens powder
Ice cubes