New Product Alert: Flaxmilk

Leave it to Walmart to astonish me!

Recently found at my local Walmart, buried at the bottom of the refrigerator section was Flaxmilk by Flax USA.  I don't actually know if this is a new product, but I've never seen it before, and it was just made available in Walmart stores on April 11, 2011.  I didn't even know it was possible to get milk from flax seeds (that's a lot of seeds!).  I was not able to find this product at my local grocery store.

Here are the stats for the Original flavor, 1 cup:

• 50 calories :)
• 2.5 grams of fat
• 0 grams saturated fat  :)
• 80 mg of sodium
• no fiber  :(
• 7 grams of sugar
• no protein  :(
• 1100 mg omega-3  :)
• 340 mg omega-6
• 345 mg omega-9

This milk is lactose, dairy, gluten and soy free. 

While this product is not organic, I do appreciate that it is a non-GMO (genetically modified organism).  It's also kosher.

This milk also comes in Vanilla and runs on average, $3 per half gallon.

The ingredients aren't as pure as homemade rice milk. ;)

It's creamy and has the consistency of full fat milk. Smells a little funny and tastes slightly sweet and a little off, but not off enough to be a turn off.

Give it a go!
The Hoff

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CSA Mystery Veggie Challenge: Fennel + My Embarrashing Moment!

So, this week I have decided to take on fennel as my Mystery Veggie of the Week in preparation of my first CSA.  This morning I was on my third store trying to hunt down fennel.  I knew it was a root vegetable, but wasn't 100% on what it looked like, so I was going by the little produce signs.  At the end of my patience, I tracked down the produce manager and asked if he had any fennel, "Right over here," he says while walking me right back to the spot I was previously searching.  He points to a sign and I exclaim (for all to hear), "AH HA, IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS ANISE! (which I pronounce as "anus")  The manager politely corrects my mistake, while my boyfriend looks on in stunned horror (I'm not an idiot, I swear!).  Had I'd not been so excited to actually find the damn stuff, I probably would have been embarrassed, but I carried on!

This is stuff they really should teach in school...I'm posting a picture so you can avoid my faux pas or just remember that fennel is also known as anise, not anus.

Here's what I did with the fennel:

Ingredients:

Fresh Green Beans
Fennel, cut into fine slices (white part only)
Tarragon, minced
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. Steam green beans
2. While green beans are steaming, saute fennel in olive oil 
3. Add green beans, tarragon, salt & pepper and a little more olive oil to the fennel and heat through

I paired this dish with a baked lobster tail (acquired from my Farmer's Market) and rice pilaf - delic!

Enjoy!
The Hoff

Doc: Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World (YOU MUST SEE THIS!)

This documentary dives into the harmful effects of aspartame and other
artificial sweeteners; it ties these food additives to brain cancer, heart conditions, fibromyalgia, lupus, multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions.

If you think these artificial sweeteners are safe, think again. If you think, the FDA would not allow them on the market if they were harmful, wake up. If you think manufacturers would not put profit before the health of consumers, get a clue. This country has a long history of profit and greed winning out over moral decisions and actions. The FDA has a long track record of putting big business before the safety of consumers.

If you ingest artificial sweeteners or know someone who does, I beg you to watch this documentary. Hiding your head in the sand and not learning the potential risks are not going to make you immune. Not showing signs or symptoms of illness now does not mean you are safe, artificial sweeteners have devastating effects on those allergic to them, but they also have harmful cumulative effects on those who seem fine.

If you think you are okay because you don’t drink diet soda, you are wrong – artificial sweeteners are in more processed foods then you know – you must read labels! I have been strongly against artificial sweeteners for years and recently fell victim to a high fiber cereal with aspartame because I let my guard down (we are responsible for what we put in our bodies, no one else). You owe it to yourself, to watch this film, get the facts and then make your own educated decision. If you watch no other documentaries that I recommend, please watch this one.

Click here to watch it online for free, right now!

Doc: What’s On Your Plate?

This doc was created by two kids from New York City, Sadie and Safiyah (how cute are they?!?!).  The idea for it actually came from a trip to Ohio where they ate their first locally grown tomato and couldn’t understand why it tasted so much better than the tomatoes they were used to from their local market.  This started their quest to find out where our food comes from: they look into food distribution, school food programs, CSAs, farmers market’s and much more.  It’s a very inspiring doc, as these two girls show no fear in questioning the existing food establishment in New York City and get some changes accomplished.

Check out the trailer!

To learn more about these two special little girls or their documentary, visit: http://www.whatsonyourplateproject.org/

CSA Mystery Veggie Challenge: Eggplant

If you've read my post about CSAs you know that in order to prepare myself for my first CSA this year, I have undertaken a Mystery Veggie of the Week Challenge.  You may be wondering why the need for such a thing.  Well, I'm the girl who every week stocks up on frozen broccoli, frozen cauliflower and some canned vegetables and calls it a day - then wonders why there is no food for dinner.  Hence the challenge.

Up until now, the challenge has been going well: zucchini quesadillas, kale chips, marinara spaghetti squash, sweet potato fries - you get the point.  Then I hit a wall - eggplant (the bane of my existence - at least for now).

Attempt #1: Not knowing what to do with it, I hit Allrecipes.com.  I decided on an Eggplant Grill Medley - cut lots of veggies up, add olive oil, lots of spices, marinade for a few hours and grill (I stir-fried instead).  Simple enough - yeah the eggplant turned out mushy, black and disgusting.

Attempt #2: I did manage to salvage the above mess by shoving the concoction into some pita bread the following dinner, but everything tastes good in a pita.

Attempt #3: A friend of mine assures me that grilled eggplant is the best!  Not willing to admit defeat, I bought another eggplant and this time did as instructed and grilled it. But this time, I sliced, salted, let sit and then rinsed to get rid of the bitterness.  Blah!

Attempt #4: I took the grilled eggplant, smothered it in marinara sauce, topped with some soy mozzarella and voila! I'm not saying it was delicious, but it is something I could see taking the time to make again.

Do I love eggplant now?  No.  Will I ever?  Probably not.  However, next time I see eggplant parmesan on the menu, I will be more inclined to order than before.  And that I call a Mystery Veggie Challenge success story!

Hurray!
The Hoff

Event: You Can Garden!

Basket of Life Farm will be hosting two introduction gardening classes in their historic barn.  Topics covered will include: starting seeds, preparing ground, feeding your garden, pest and disease control and more.  Both classes are the same, but due to demand, they are offering a second.  You must RSVP if you are interested in attending.

When: April 23, 2011 & May 7, 2011
Time: 4:00 - 6:00
Where: 4965 Quick Rd. Peninsula, OH 44264
Cost: $5 per person (open to the public)

Click for more info!