Showing posts with label farmers. foodiesd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label farmers. foodiesd. Show all posts

Friday, January 21, 2011

Raising Organic Foodies

Parents always want the best for their kids. They give them Baby Einstein and toddler lessons in soccer and math. They want them to go to the best schools and get excellent grades. They cater to their whims, whether it's the princess or skateboarding phase. Parents should also care about what's going into their kids too. It's best to get them hooked on all natural and organic from an early age. Surprisingly enough little Missy or Junior will be thankful and grateful later on.

You can start out at the earliest phase. Making baby food is the best way. of controlling what they eat. After all the homemade stuff has no preservatives or added chemicals. You can make very simple mixes using organic fruits and veggies along with free range meats. Some common veggies to use are peas, which are high in calcium and protein. potatoes, turnips, winter squash and beets. As kids get older you can combine these into fun and colorful succotashes along with great sides. Steam them with garlic or ginger for tasty main meals. You can also use dried or baked veggies as healthy snacks. For example, dry out peas sprinkled with olive oil and sea salt in a low temp oven.These addictive munchies are even tastier than potato or corn chips

What happens when those little foodies grow up to be rebellious teen foodies? Indulge them every so often. Yes, it's neat to have that Slurpee and heaven only knows what's in it hot dog. Yet if you want them to eat healthy then put them in charge of menu planning and cooking. They can come up with fun stuff like homemade whole wheat pizzas with fresh tomato and mozzarella .Other cool and healthy dishes include stir fries that have fresh veggies and chicken in them or wild salads that have arugula and wheat grass. Try putting a few organic apples and pears with their lunches or just have the fruit out as quick to grab snacks. Also nix the sodas. Buy a juicer and have teen foodies come up with fruit combo drinks that they can mix with seltzer.

Everyone wants the best for their kids. That should include giving them organic , homemade food, full of not only love but plenty of vitamins and nutrients. Pass on the legacy of wholesome, healthy food. Eating this way will be beneficial throughout their entire lives.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Tough Foodie Resolutions

It's tough being a foodie and dealing with new year's resolutions. After all what's bad for us is usually the tastiest. What's good for us usually isn't. What to do? Try to be good throughout the whole year but throw in a little naughtiness along the way (which I guess can be said for life in general too).


If there's something you crave like soda (my vice) then in once in a while. Slowly wean yourself away from it. Try flavored seltzer which has the carbonation and the taste but no sugar and absolutely no calories. Surprisingly it's a refreshing kick , especially with ice added. There are some great flavors too , like lemon lime, peaches and cream and my fave black cherry. For fast food lovers think about having that burger and fries maybe once a month. That way it's something you can still eat but it;s becomes a treat rather than a habit.

The worst foodie vice - anything dessert or sweet. Candy is just the downfall of anyone making a resolution. You can change your sugar habit Try the extra dark chocolate which is much better for you than the milk. Or better yet. try chocolate covered cranberries and blueberries. Yes. they;re decadent but the dark chocolate and the berries are a little more healthier than those milk chocolate enrobed caramels. Cakes and cookies are another matter. Limit yourself to maybe a treat once in a great while. have a cup cake every so often to satisfy your cravings. That usually does to for many sugar addicted foodies.

I;ts tough making any kind of resolution and sticking to it. Luckily with food there are so man ways t get around it while still resolving . it just takes creativity and a bit of will power.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Last Minute Foodie Gifts

Christmas is literally right around the corner if you haven;t picked up anything for your favorite foodie, now is the time. The problem is what to get. Do you panic like crazy and pick up the first thing you see? Or debate and deliberate until someone takes it off the shelf before you? The best bet is to calm down. Foodies like everything about food. There's a wide array of stuff you can give.

The first thing you need to do is write a list. Write down if she or he is into creating dishes or more into eating. if it;s creating you can even visit your local supermarket for last minute gift ideas Think about a bask filled with sea salt, peppercorns and favorite spices. Those are always fun. Another idea is cookie cutters, and decorations along with an icer. for the bakers in your life. Gadgets are always of great use. Any Target or K-Mart has a big selection. Every cook needs new whisk and spatulas along with fun things likes decorative timers and cheese graters. Another lovely gift are place mats, napkins and napkin rings. These are perfect for the foodie couple in their first place. Fancy tablecloths also are appreciated too.

For the foodie who likes to eat. you can either create a memorable food basket or give a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant. baskets are fun to make up. You can have a theme, like international teas or coffees or their favorite flavors, like chocolate or caramel. You can even have a soup basket full of dried soup mixes or a pizza lover's basket full of the ingredients to make a pie. Luckily there are also restaurant gift certificates that cater to every taste. Even the smaller , family owned ones offer ones so you can buy from both chain and privately owned for a fun dining experience.

Don't fret if you haven;t bought your favorite foodie her or his gift yet. You still have plenty of choices yet. There are still so many gift ideas to choose from. Have fun !

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

A Day In

These past few days I'll be staying in, thanks to visits from vets and phone installers. What's a foodie to do when they have to stay in. Plenty. There's a list of things any foodie can do when you're stuck in a house.

There's defrosting the freezer. This is perfect because you can actually figure out what those mystery packs are. They could be last year's burgers to snowballs the kids froze as a souvenir of Winter 2010. You can also make those frozen pizzas you had wanted to bake back in March. You can also eat those the icky flavor Popsicles the kids hate. After that you also clean out the fridge. There's probably jars of half eaten jam and salsa that should have been tossed ages ago. Also it's a good time to check out expiration dates too.

Another thing to do is try out some involved recipes you've always wanted to try. You can experiment with your crockpot ,creating everything from Swedish meatballs to stews. It's also a good time to makes sauces as well. Just don't try anything too complicated. You may be need to help out or need to guide the repairmen to where they have to go.

Don't worry if you're stuck in the house waiting for repairmen or doctors. Hang out in your kitchen, There's probably a million things that have to be done and now is a good time to do them.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Getting Ready

This is a quick entry due to the fact that I have to get a cafeteria ready for tomorrow's big university event. Right now I have 100 (yup, count 'em 100) cans of soda and water in my basement. I have to lug all them out of there and a few miles over. Tomorrow I have to pick up three trays of veggies and dip along with two specially made brownies and a platter of cookies.

For all of those who love events like this, think twice about volunteering. This is not a dinner party where you can let your specialities shine or you can whiz through a grill menu like Bobby Flay. This is more like coordinating an Oscar party or at best a community get together where you're the one solely responsible for the food and drink. This is not fun , This is torture, pure and simple.

Maybe I'll feel different when the whole thing is over. After tomorrow I think I'll just kickback and not volunteer anymore.There's something to be said about being a selfish foodie.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Foodie Gadget Gifts

Yesterday I went over what makes the perfect food gifts for the foodie,. Today it's what sort of gadgets would make a good foodie gifts. As much as we love that gourmet popcorn or Brie of the month club we also appreciate interesting appliances and gadgets. There's so much to choose from. Nothing beats something as haute cuisine as a mandolin or as low key as a George Foreman grill. There's a million gifts to buy yet. Each will be genuinely appreciated.

What would make the perfect gift. The first step is to analyze the recipient. If your foodie is more into baking than cooking, than anything from the cupcake maker to oven mitts to silicone bake ware would be appreciated. Someone who is interested in French cooking might appreciate a new crepe pan or a Dutch oven for making cassoulet. Foodies who are into Italian may appreciate a high tech pasta machine along with some ravioli cutters to create the perfect pasta. Smaller gifts may include the mandoline, ideal for cutting potato slices paper thin. Other good and always needed gifts are, timers and the ever useful salt and pepper grinders.

Of course the ultimate foodie gift would be any new appliance.There is nothing like the George Foreman grill. What's neat about it is that there are several different models to choose form and all the stores from Macy's to K-mart sell them. Another must is the T-Fal Actifry Fryer. This allows your foodie to fry healthy because the machine only needs a tablespoon of oil to fry foods. What other appliances make good gifts? Any food processor. These are great for cutting up left over meats for salads or pureeing vegetables for soups and stews. Fun appliances are kettle corn poppers and ice cream makers.

Foodies also love receiving gadgets for the holidays too. This could be something as small as an egg timer or as large as a deep fryer. We enjoy anything that will create new dishes or improve old recipes. For us these are the best gifts of all!!!

Monday, September 7, 2009

A Good Labor Day

Have a good Labor Day , foodies, Enjoy the last of the summer (not really though the season ends in three weeks).

Just remember that this is a day dedicated to workers., those whop help grow and process your food and all those chefs and short order cooks who make eatin g out fun. Celebrate the farmers and then vintners , these are the people who also work long hours to bring you the best in food and drink.

Relax with those you love but remember those who have worked hard in the food industry.