Dried Fruit Decisions

I enjoy dried fruit and often snack on dried fruit as a sweet treat and use dried fruits in recipes. Normally I have a variety of dried fruit on hand. Right now that is not the case as I have worked through quite a bit of what I had around the house.  

Dried fruit is shelf stable so it is something people should be purchasing to have around the house since we have been encouraged to refrain from shopping as much as possible. Dried fruit is a fiber filled addition to a person's diet. We have to be careful to purchase the healthy options and not to have too much of a good thing!

Dried fruits can be helpful for people who are looking to lose weight. High fiber dried fruits include: apricots, dates, prunes, and raisins.

As you plan your next purchase, what are the things you should consider when purchasing dried fruit? Of course, you will take into consideration personal preferences and any dietary restrictions/needs that you have, but are there any other considerations that should be taken? I did a little research and have come to some conclusions.

When to buy organic...

If a fruit is on the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen List, it is a good idea to purchase ORGANIC dried fruit as well as fresh fruit.  Therefore, spend the extra money on organic dried strawberries, nectarines, apples, grapes (raisins), peaches, cherries, and pears.

Watch out for added sugars...

According to Harvard Health, it is suggested that people read labels. Fruits have natural sugars but many manufacturers add sugar when packaging dried fruit.

What about sulfur dioxide added to some dried fruits?

Sulfur dioxide is a preservative used in many dried fruits and other foods. According to Livestrong, people sensitive to the preservative can have asthma or difficulty breathing after consuming sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is used to prevent rotting and to help the fruit maintain its color. In the 1980s the FDA banned sulfites from fresh fruits and vegetables, but not packaged foods.

I Just Can't Get Enough ... Grounded Snacks

Lundberg Family Farms Continues to Delight Customers

Not only does Lundberg Farms create excellent sweet and savory rice cakes that are enjoyed by people of all ages, but they also create baked grain bites that are masterful. Each flavor, made from flavors curated from around the world, and enhances your meal.

I had an opportunity to try the product at the Nourished Festival in San Diego in February. Since that time, they have been a regular inhabitant of my cupboards!

Sesame Milk Chia Pudding

Plant Based Milk Alternatives

I have been drinking almond milk for years and have been happy with the taste of the product. What concerns me about almond milk is that it takes ONE GALLON OF WATER to produce JUST ONE NUT. Living in California and experiencing droughts, water restrictions, and fires, I wish to find another plant based milk source that is more sustainable.

Hope & Sesame

A new product, Sesame Milk,  entered the marketplace last year and I just had an opportunity to try it. Hope & Sesame has brought to the marketplace delicious sesame milk in original, original unsweetend, vanilla, chocolate, and chocolate hazelnut flavors. The creamy milk is wonderful. Each flavor is great. I can find a way to use each one...I cannot decide which is my favorite!

Hope & Sesame sesamemilks contain Sesamein, their very own plant-based protein concentrate. An 8 ounce glass of sesame milk contains 8 grams of protein (as much as dairy milk) with less sugar, more Vitamin D, no dairy, and no lactose.

Sesame has many nutritional benefits:

• high in protein
• high in magnesium
• reduces blood pressure
• reduces cholesterol
• boosts heart health
• boosts respiratory health
• prevents cancer
• good for digestion
• good for healthy skin
• relieves arthritis
• protects the liver from alcohol
• prevents wrinkles
• encourages bone health

Sesame Milk provides nutrients including:

• Plant-protein
• Heart- healthy fatty acids
• Calcium
• Iron
• Phosphorus
• Selenium
• Manganese
• Magnesium
• Copper
• B-complex vitamins
• Zinc

Sesame Milk Uses

Drink sesamemilk on its own or use it in recipes. Today I used Chocolate Hazelnut Sesamemilk as my blank canvas and created Chocolate Hazelnut Chia Pudding. Today we ate this is a dessert.

Ingredients:
1 cup Chocolate Hazelnut Sesamemilk
1/8 cup chia seeds (organic if possible)
VARIATIONS: Fresh fruit, seeds, nuts, or granola as a topping (if desired)




Instructions

• Stir the chia seeds in the milk until fully covered with liquid
• Let set in the refrigerator for at least an hour
• Stir to desired consistency ... NOTE: I wanted my chia pudding a bit thicker so I added an additional 1 TBSP of chia seeds at this point, stirred, and let the pudding set for another 30 minutes
• Serve when set or wait a day
• I served both plain and with bananas and coconut ... top based on your flavor/texture preferences

NOTE: This can be served for breakfast or dessert based on presentation/toppings.

Can You Eat Half An Organic Pineapple?

Of course you can! Rely on Solely for convenient, fast ... fruit!

Solely Fruit Jerky

Solely creates fruit jerky made with ONLY FRUIT...one or two ingredients per fruit jerky bar. Their products are NON-GMO and organic. They do not add sugars or preservatives to their products.

Solely works hand-in-hand with farmers and has created a network of Solely Certified Farms that produce clean, non-GMO, organic fruits and vegetables.

Pineapple with Coconut has a pineapple taste with a hint of coconut. It is a chewy fruit bar that is naturally sweet.

Cashews for Breakfast ... Enjoy Cashewgurt as a Yogurt Alternative

I was told about the Forager Project by a family member and was excited to try Cashewgurt as a yogurt alternative. I am always looking for healthy, gluten free foods to try. I shy away from high fat dairy as I am somewhat lactose intolerant so I figured this dairy free yogurt alternative would be a great product to try!

The Cashewgurt is thin like traditional yogurt and the unsweetend plain is a bit tart like traditional yogurt. I purchase unsweetend plain yogurt to control sugar as I usually add fruit and other mix-ins into the yogurt to add flavor.


If you are a Greek Yogurt fan, the texture will seem runny. To get used to it, prepare a bowl of 1/2 Greek Yogurt and 1/2 Cashewgurt to get used to the texture.




Yogurt is often my morning blank canvas. To the yogurt I add 1 cup of fruit and:

• 1 TBSP cinnamon or beet root powder or maca powder
• 1/4 cup nuts and/or seeds

Today I added peach and pepitas to 1.5 cups of Chasewgurt

Sunflower Date Tastes Great

Zego Bars are a snack for everyone

Adults and kids will love the taste of Zego Bars. They are filled with NATURAL ingredients and are:

• Organic
• Kosher
• Paleo Friendly
• Allergy Friendly
• Vegan 
• NON-GMO
• Low-Glycemic
• Diebetic Freindly

They do NOT include:

• Gluten
• Soy
• Peanuts
• Dairy
• Soy
• Sesame 
• Grain

Zego Bars are for everyone. Zego Bars were developed to focus on what one CAN eat, not on the restrictions based on allergies or medical needs. Zego Bars taste great and are nutritious.

I enjoy taking Zego Bars in my pocket or bag when I am on an outdoor adventure. I lead an active lifestyle and enjoy being on-the-go. I always keep a Zego Bar in my Car and one in my gym/yoga bag so that I have it, in case I need it!

My husband and I took delicious SUNFLOWER DATE bars with us on our near-sunset hike. The bars masterfully combine two flavors we love and were a great snack to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner for us so that we could add in our late in the day hiking date. We took Zego Sunflower Date Bars on our Date! The scenery was beautiful and the Zego snacks excellent.

Take Zego to School

Zego Snacks are perfect for a school lunch, class party, team celebration, or other gathering! Teachers even would love a Zego bar as a "Thank You" or a Back-to-School treat. Sending you child to school with a Zego means that your child is getting a healthy snack and there is no concern that a classmate who has allergies to the common allergens will be impacted negatively. 

 

 

 

Pack a Zego Wherever You Go 

Sunflower Date Tastes Great

Did you ever think it would be possible to hold JAM in your HAND?

I love the line of products from Zego. Their Fruit & Chia bars taste like JAM! Yes, Zego has provided you with the opportunity to hold JAM in your HAND without getting messy.

A HEALTHY JAM in your HAND
Fruit & Chia Bars come in Blueberry, Raspberry, and Strawberry flavors. The addition of chia creates a JAM like texture and adds:

• crunch
• extra fiber
• protein
• Omega 3 fatty acids
• calcium

Zego Fruit & Chia Bars are made with natural ingredients and satisfy you with natural sugars rather than artificial. They have a natural sweetness from the berries, but are not overly sweet.

Imagine the possibilities
I love knowing that I can pack one in my pocket to fuel me when I am out on a hike, riding my bike, or taking a jog and they will not melt. The bars are portable and can go with you in a school lunch, in your purse, in your car, in a gym bag, in your desk at work, or in your carry-on luggage.

 Pack a Zego wherever you go!

Want to feel like a kid again?

Want to feel like a KID again? 

Pack a ZEGO Just Fruit Bar in your pocket, purse, gym bag, or lunch and have a trip down memory lane as the taste will remind you of a fruit roll-up ... done right! I love the Just Fruit Bars as they provide natural sugars to help fuel my body during a hike, on a flight, or between sweaty workouts/classes I am teaching. I love the plant based bars as they are:

• allergy friendly
• gluten free
• paleo
• non-GMO
• organic
• soy free
• dairy free
• artificial free 
  

Need another reason beyond taste, texture, health, and nutrition to buy Zego Bars? This small business is also a Certified B Corp and dedicate a percentage of their income to giving back. Support a small business that gives back! Make a positive difference for your health and the community!

Thin Stackers ... a Rice Cake that impersonates a Cracker!

I love the Lundberg Farms Red Rice 7 Quinoa Thin Stackers that I was introduced to at the Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly Expo in Del Mar, California in February.

These SALT FREE snacks are great on their own OR with hummus and roasted veggies or slices of cheese!