Gluten Free Bar Grab and Go Bites

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A few years ago I began heavily researching and looking into the “gluten free” craze. A former friend of mine had elected a gluten free diet and I was not sure about how the decision would affect ones health. What I found is that certain food options were excluding particular grains and using other flour bases for ease of digestion. Hence why folks who suffer from Celiacs can enjoy the alternative food options in their diet. In my investigations, for those of us who choose gluten free and are not a slave to the dietary restriction, I found that by adding in gluten free food options creates for a more well balanced diet. Continue reading “Gluten Free Bar Grab and Go Bites”

Deep River Snacks Chips & Charity Gift Set

Holidays are always about giving. Truly, the gift of giving and not receiving. So how about the gift of giving that truly keeps giving?

While on the hunt for some great gift ideas, stocking stuffers and the like, I learned about Deep River Snacks. Non-GMO, gluten-free, nut free snacks that are kettle cooked to tasty perfection. My family loves a good potato chip, especially kettle cooked, my kids always ask for them. Why not great snacks like these in their stocking as opposed to the traditional processed candy and sugary junk. Deep River Snacks has a wide variety of chips to choose from as well as the various flavors. In addition, Deep River Snacks cares just as much about what is on and in their bags as the people they touch. Continue reading “Deep River Snacks Chips & Charity Gift Set”

Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars – Snacks on the Go!

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Some years ago I wrote about school lunch and the atrocities. Since that day I vowed I would make my children’s lunch everyday so that I knew what they were eating. Food is such an important factor in our daily lives from basic nutritional factors to the types of food we eat. I always try to make sure that my kids have a lunch that fuels their bodies and their brains right down to the snack options. Continue reading “Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars – Snacks on the Go!”

Organic Baked Kale Chips Recipe

baked kale chips, kale chips, kaleWhile partaking in my weekly offering with Bountiful Baskets I have recently been receiving a lot of kale in my baskets. I will fully admit I am a novice as to what kale is, was, and how it would have any addition to our dinner table and or menu for meals. But I did find that kale is very high in essential nutrients such as iron, calcium, beta kerotene, and the list goes on. I found some wonderful recipes to add this green leafy gem to stir fry, but I am not a fan of wilty greens. Although spinach is wonderful if steamed properly, I could not quite wrap my noggin around biting down this cabbage cousin. However, no recipes really jumped out at me. So while perusing the dry goods aisle at Whole Foods today I was hit with a stroke of genius, call it an epiphany, of how to serve up kale where everyone in my household would eat it and love this leafy green. Here is an easy kale recipe that is sure to be a hit and great addition to your diet.

The prep for this snack is more than easy and takes very little time, all you need is patience to pat dry your kale after a good rinsing. I had to rinse mine thoroughly, since it was USDA Certified Organic, so I was greeted with a caterpillar who had made a home in the fold of the leafy green vegetable. So be sure to rinse thoroughly and dry thoroughly or your kale will not turn out the way it should intend.

  • 2T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Herbes de Provence (optional, for a bit of flair)

Basting brush, cookie sheet, preheated oven to 375 degrees

Take your leaves of kale and slice the leaves from the stalk and then cut into chip size pieces. I sliced all mine jaggedly off the stem/stalk of the leaves so I had silver dollar size pieces. Do this only after you have rinsed well and patted your leaves dry and they must be completely dry or you will have steamed kale instead.

Using your basting brush, baste on the salt and EVOO mixture and place on cookie sheet, dash lightly with salt. Do this until all the pieces are lightly coated and then place the entire cookie sheet in the oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes and checking at the 8 minute mark as to not burn your kale. Remove from oven and serve. Great with dinner, as an anytime snack, or to add that extra something to your meal and table.