Food Consciousness!

“Esto es lo que queremos. Involucrar a los niños, adolescentes, adultos y abuelos en los procesos de los alimentos. Hacerlos formar parte, vivir la experiencia y hacer con las manos...con conciencia. Mucho más que una receta!”
 
Laura Rosano Susana Aída Talia Aldecosea


“This is what we want. Involving children, adolescents, adults and grandparents in the processes of food. Make them part, live the experience and to do with hands... With a conscience. Much more than a recipe!”
 
Laura Rosano Susana Aída Talia Aldecosea

Jalapeño & Apricot Jelly Pork Chops

 

 

 

Jalapeño & Apricot Jelly Pork Chops Moms For Real Food Initiative

Jalapeño & Apricot Jelly Pork Chops 

I sell The Pampered Chef on the side ... because I love the products, meeting people and FOOD. (Obviously)
They have a recipe for Jalapeño & Apricot preserves baked Brie which is to die for. 
But I thought - my god - this would taste spectacular on pork!

And, my friends, it does. You are welcome.

Ingredients:

• 8 - 10 boneless pork chops (not the fast fry, the thicker cut)
• 1-2 Jalapeños
• 2 cups apricot preserves
• 1 tsp. Slat
• 1 tsp. fresh pepper
• 1/3 cup grape-seed or coconut oil (heated if C.O.)
• 3-4 lemons (organic as you'll use the zest as well)
• 2 tbs lemon zest

 READ MORE .......

Leek and Potato Soup

This easy Leek & Potato Soup recipe is surprisingly mild, flavorful and satisfying! 

With inexpensive and easy to find ingredients, this soup is great to make in large batches to freeze, can or give away.

Get the Recipe ...... 

Billy C.'s Ten Minute Tequila Salsa

One of our buddies, Billy C., and his famous ten minute salsa! We've had it many times ... D-Lish!!

Senfgurken, or, Mustard Pickles

SENFGURKEN / MUSTARD PICKLES

Moms For Real Food Initiative's Senfgurken / Mustard Pickles

Every family seems to have their own "pickle" recipe. Ours is from Germany, these whole, halved, seeded and peeled "gurken" were always in the fridge ready to be devoured!
So we took an old family recipe and jazzed it up for the Canadian pallet.

More ....

16 Food Addititves to Avoid!

Fagor 10 qt Pressure Canner Review

We love to can! The more we do it, the more addictive it becomes. 

So when we received the Fagor 10 qt pressure canner/cooker we put it to work! 

It is extremely easy to use as both a cooker and canner, there are no overly complicated buttons, pressure valves or instructions. You can get the set which comes with everything a person needs to begin canning .......

Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe

How many times have you stared at the loads of turkey still left over from the holidays and felt that moment of despair? 

"There's no way we can eat all this before it goes bad!"

 

So? 

Make a turkey soup. 

Then, can it. Freeze it. Or EAT it.

You can literally throw the entire carcass, along with the bits and pieces that no one eats, and leftover meat into a large pot. Add either water or chicken/vegetable stock and boil that bad boy up all day.

 

 

We have canned this recipe, here is our video on canning soup...

We have canned this Turkey Soup recipe, here is our video on canning soup...v

Here's what you need ....

You can gain up to 6 cups of meat by boiling off your turkey carcass. Enough to make 8 liters of bone broth or soup!

You can gain up to  6 cups of meat by boiling off your turkey carcass. Enough to make 8 liters of bone broth or soup!

Top 10 Amazing Health Benefits of DATES

Vegetable Growing Sheet

Vegetable Growing Sheet - Everything you need to know about growing gardens, patios gardens, pots and companion gardening! 

Prepare for next season - plan your garden today.

Homemade Mozzarella Cheese 1 Pound For Less Than $2.50

Who doesn't love cheese? 

But if you're like me, you're not so fond of the price of cheese!

Visit Heart Hands Home blog for this recipe!

Well we found a fabulous recipe to make your very own; it's easy, simple and so inexpensive you'll wonder why you didn't do this years ago!

 

Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
1 gallon whole milk (just be sure that it is not Ultra-pasteurized, any other kind will work, store bought, fresh from the cow (or goat))
1 tsp. citric acid*
1/4 rennet tablet*
2 tsp. cheese salt*
A big pot
Thermometer
Slotted spoon ....

For Full Recipe Click Here

 

Pressure Canning 101 with Presto 16 Qt Canner

Learn along with with Tracy as she uses a pressure canner for the first time. She makes a few mistakes but also learns from them. The PRESTO pressure canner with graciously provided for us to use, review and learn with!

Homemade Chicken Soup

Homemade Chicken Soup - Moms For Real Food Initiative

The chicken soup I make is probably the 3rd generation of a family recipe. 
It's been tweaked and altered a few times for either convenience or nutrition sake.
The one I make is never really the same each time, because I alter it according to what is in season and what's in the pantry.
It's a great all time favorite that you purposely make far too much of so you can either freeze or can for the future.

Labeling Foods For Storage

My Dymo LetraTag labeller is probably one of the most used "utensils" in my arsenal!

Before freezing, storing, refrigerating or filing always label it! Too easy my friends.

Healthy Alternatives with LapTop Lunches - Bento Box Style Lunches

We love the idea of un-conventional, and healthy lunches for our children.

And with school just around the corner - maybe it's time to turn over a new leaf and really commit to making sure our kids are fueled properly!

LapTop Lunches is one company who have really taken that commitment to the next level.

 

READ MORE ...

SIGG Back to School Lunch Ideas!

We have always loved SIGG, and their kids line of BPA free water bottles, aluminum lunch boxes and thermal gear.

(We do not receive any financial benefit from these features, we simply love these products!)

 

If you, like us,  like the idea of making and packing your own lunch for your children (or hubby!) without the use of plastics then SIGG is right for you!

READ MORE ...


 

Whether you want a little snack from time to time or a simple storage box for your office, kitchen or bedroom – SIGG aluminum tins are practical and can be used for your specific needs.

MAXI - Dimensions: 228mm * 145mm * 77mm

MINI - Dimensions: 170mm * 117mm * 60mm

SIGG Hot & Cold Mugs are the ideal accessory for anyone who would like to carry tea or coffee 'to go' every day without any leaking or spillage. They have a slimline design and are leakproof, making them both handy and practical. Every mug in this collection is made of high-grade 18/8 stainless steel, is vacuum-insulated and keeps drinks hot or cold for hours. In addition, SIGG Hot & Cold Mugs are equipped with a removable tea filter. As with the classic SIGG aluminum bottles, their trendy design, eco-friendliness, functionality and Swiss quality standards are second to none.
Characteristics:
-18/8 stainless steel BPA (Bisphenol A) and phtalates free
- taste neutral
- 100% recyclable

Kids Bottles

Colour, fun and much-loved cartoon characters hang out on practical bottles that get top marks for safety. By day they are the heroes of playground combat,

by night the ultimate cool sleepover accessory.SIGG kids bottles are specially developed for the needs of our youngsters: They come in handy sizes, are leak-proof and almost unbreakable.

For us, it’s important to protect what’s precious: SIGG only uses raw materials that are free from BPA and phthalates to ensure that SIGG bottles don’t contain harmful substances. Thanks to the special liner, they are easy to clean and absolutely neutral in taste, so you can fill them with cold drinks and fruit juices.
SIGG was awarded with the British Mother and Baby Award and voted the best travel product (under £20) for 2012/2013.

Slicing Grape Tomatoes in 10 Seconds - Moms for Real Food Initiative

BBQ Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic

BBQ Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic Cloves

We love cauliflower ... we pan fry, steam, mash, bake and roast it!

But who wants to turn on an oven during the summer? Not me! So here's a quick and easy way to BBQ our beloved cabbage-sister!

Recipe...

The Canary Kids Project

 

Our children are the “canaries in the coal mine” of industrial society, demonstrating that the way we live is neither sustainable for the planet nor for its inhabitant.  What are we to do?

The Canary Kids Project:  An Innovative Crowd-Sourced Solution to the Epidemic of Chronic Illness in Our Children

Did you know that conditions like autism, ADHD, asthma, and allergies can be reversed in many children?

For years, healthcare practitioners and researchers have been witnessing individual cases of chronic illnesses reversed in children.  Many people believe that chronic illnesses like autism, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma are genetic, lifelong, and irreversible.  Not so.  In fact, much of what contributes to these conditions is environmentally-derived and within our control.

What is the Canary Kids Project?

The Canary Kids Project is demonstrating that there is evidence of hope for recovery for millions of children living with chronic illnesses.  Canary Kids is:

Rice Pudding Recipe

Rice Pudding

I've enjoyed rice pudding since I was a child - my Oma used to have canned rice pudding in her pantry all the time!
I've made and eaten various kinds, brands and types ... not all good. (ugh!)

So I've come up with one that still satiates that craving for starchy sweetness, but doesn't compromise my ideology of food for my family.
The goal is to triple the capacity of the rice. And since we are using whole grain rice it does take some time to get it starchy enough to be the right texture.
It takes me about 2 days to make a proper large bowl of this.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Whole grain rice
• 3 cups milk
• 3 cups coconut milk
• 1 cups water
• 1/2 cups raisins
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup honey, or brown sugar

 

• Bring rice, 1 cup of milk,  1 cup of coconut milk, and 1 cup of water to a boil. 
• Turn heat down and allow to simmer for 1 hour or until the rice is beyond soft. Stir occasionally to prevent scalding or scorching bottom.
• Turn off heat, and add spices and sugars, stir until combined.
• Add 1 cup each milk and coconut milk - refrigerate until cold. (approx. 5 hours)
• Take out your rice mixture and put back into a larger pot, bring to a simmer and add remaining1 cup milk & coconut milk and raisins.
• Allow to simmer for another half hour, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and refrigerate until cold.
• Stir once in a while - by the time it's cold it will be ready to serve! It should be a thick, and creamy texture.

How-To Meal Plan - Quick and Easy guide, List and Calendar.

We DO meal plan here at Moms For Real food. 

We don't just talk about it, it isn't some pie-in-the-sky chatter we spew to make people think they need to be more organized.

We really WANT you to spend less, buy more and feel more organized and less stressed -and MEAL PLANNING is THE best way to accomplish that.

Alberta Producers and Farmers

Have you met our local producers? 

ARE you a local producer?

It's pretty easy to make the list - all you have to do is farm in one way or another!

http://www.momsforrealfoodinitiative.ca/#!local-producers/cfvg

Healthy Pine Needle Tea!

Moms For Real Food Initiative - Pine Needle Tea

Pine needle tea has been sipped by homesteaders, cowboys and mountaineers since the dawn of, well, PINES. 

I learned about pine needle tea when I was a child from one of the Interpretive Programs in the Kananaskis campgrounds. They taught us  how it will save your life if stranded in the woods, it will keep you nourished and give your energy - not to mention it's just darned tasty!

Keeping it real ... weeding local gardens!

 

Alberta Schools are Gardening

We have published pictures of our local school gardens before. We now have updated pictures, and some information on th amazing people who have helped the school accomplish these gardens!

Urban Gardening in Schools!

Moms For Real Food asks: Does YOUR school Garden?

 

Our elementary school does!  We have 18 raised beds that the different grades and classes have planted. 

During the summer a few moms will be volunteering with their children to help tend to these beds so that when the fall some - there will be a bountiful harvest!! .....

Local Raised Gardens at a school in Alberta

 

Fat Stored Food Toxins can be Life Shortening When Losing Weight.

"Pesticides and other toxins are fat soluble. There are many pesticides and other toxins in our food supply that are fat soluble. Human bodies store these toxins relativity harmlessly in body fat. If you lose that fat too quickly,

Moms for Real Food Prescription for Health!

Moms for Real Food Prescription for Health!

List of Farmer's Market's Around Calgary

Shared from and thanks to AVENUE Magazine for the info!

 

Calgary Famers’ Market

This market moved to its new location just off Blackfoot Trail in 2011 and it’s been thriving ever since. You’ll never be able to leave without buying a treat from Jelly Modern Doughnuts or Yum Bakery.

Homemade Frozen Fruit and Yogurt Pops

Everyone LOVES Popsicles! But unfortunately store bought pops and ice-creams are loaded with refined sugar,  dyes, preservatives and not-so-fresh fruit-like-substances. Some of them even "May Contain" wheat, soy and nuts.

THE best way to avoid all that, and as per MFRF's motto - is to make it yourself! And, it's totally easy.

Resistance is Fertile

Glyphosate In Food - YOUR food and YOUR body.

Organic Consumers Association Comments on New Study Showing Glyphosate Found in Mothers' Breast Milk

My Urban Garden by Polly Bennell

My Urban GardenbyPolly Bennell, National Film Board of Canada

My Urban GardenbyPolly Bennell, National Film Board of Canada

In this short film, Halifax gardener Carol Bowlby harvests a mouth-watering crop from her small backyard plot. In considering soil quality, lack of space and a short growing season challenges rather than obstacles, she offers a wealth of practical growing tips for urban gardeners. By heeding Bowlby's advice, bountiful organic gardens work equally well on apartment balconies, in small or large city lots or in a rural setting.

Roasted Pork with Jack Daniels Marinade

THE best pork roast you will ever have!

Serve with Creamy or Balsamic Slaw, and CaulisweetOmash.

(Please always assume we recommend organic)

NOTE: Prep-time: 1 hour. But needs to sit in marinade for a few hours minimum.

Ingredients:

1 pork roast
2 medium shallots 

1 tbsp brown sugar

Marinade:
1 cup Jack Daniels whiskey
3 sprigs rosemary
1 tsp course salt
1 tsp pepper
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
**Whisk all the marinade ingredients these together, minus the sugar. 

Preheat oven to 300 C

Cauliflower, Sweet Potato, Potato Mash!

Cauliflower, Sweet Potato, Potato Mash! 

Aka Caulisweetomash. 

 

Try with Roasted Jack Daniel's Pork &  Creamy or Balsamic Slaw.

(Please always assume we recommend organic) 

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower
1 large sweet potato
1 large potato

2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup milk

Salt & pepper to taste

Easy Peasy Guacamole!

This is a great, fresh, healthy recipe! Avocados are a fantastic SUPERFOOD - Jet fuel for moms!

What makes it a superfood? Well, check this out:

• It’s a super energy source.
• This great tasting multivitamin powerhouse is rich in antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin E and contains most of the B vitamins
• Avocados are full of vitamin K (for strong bones and maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system) and you will find the highest concentration of protein and vitamin E of any fruit in an avocado.
• The green pulp of the fruit is also a good source of minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and zinc – so scoop it all out!
• There is much more to avocados than that lengthy list of vitamins and minerals. We are just getting started. The combination of what is in an avocado is what really packs a health boosting punch.

For more information on Avocados: AVOCADOS: Natures Superfood

GUACAMOLE

Ingredients

• 3 ripe avocados
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tbs lime juice
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pepper

 Directions

1. Peel and pit avocados into bowl
2. Add 1/2 lime juice (this will prevent browning)
3. Mash - according to how you like it, we like a few chunky bits. :)
4. Chop and add tomatoes
5. press and add garlic, and salt & pepper
6. Stir until combined
7. Let sit for at least 20 minutes before eating - so the flavours become wonderful!
8. Serve with tacos, burritos, chips etc ....

momsforrealfoodinitiative.ca

 

Antacids Are Hurting You. And Chances Are You Don't Even NEED Them!

I have quite a number of friends who chew Tums like they're candy. 

They wake up, pop a Tums. 

Have breakfast - pop another Tums.

Mid-morning .... oohhhh ... burnies .... in goes another Tums.

And so on.

The doctor will say, "Acid Reflux." and prescribe Zantac, Prevacid, Nexium, Pepcid etc., etc.

But will your acid go away? Not likely. And I know why.

Because you don't have Acid Reflux. 

Ron Finley: "Growing your own food is like printing your own money."

Ron Finley is a man of substance, fixing the problems around him through a strong inner motivation to help others.

 

 

" Ron Finley is a man who will not sit still and watch a problem take root. Having grown up in the South Los Angeles food desert, Ron is familiar with the area’s lack of fresh produce. He knew what it’s like to drive 45 minutes just to get a fresh tomato.

In 2010, he set out to fix the problem. Outside his front door, that is. Ron planted vegetables in the curbside dirt strip next to his home. And quietly, carefully, tenderly started a revolution.
“I wanted a carrot without toxic ingredients I didn’t know how to spell,” says Ron."

Philips AirFryer Product Test & Review - Moms For Real Food Initiative

Philips AirFryer Product Test & Review Moms For Real Food Initiative

Hi all! Tracy here from Moms for Real Food Initiative!

We are product testing and reviewing the Philips AirFryer.  We made fries according their their own recipes, which was included in their cookbook that came with the fryer.
We were quite happy with the results!!

Things we liked:

• Ease of use
• Cookbook & instructions
• A wide variety of recipes - and most could be easily converted into healthier, and gluten free versions.
• Retractable cord!
• "Turn on and walk away" timer feature
• Sleek and attractive style of the appliance
• Ease of cleanup

Things we didn't like:

• Limited use for cooking
• Slightly big and bulky
• Not much else we didn't' like!!!

Here's the video of us making French Fries.
For more product information and pricing visit their web site Philips AirFryer

Creamy Cole Slaw recipe

Moms for Real Food: our cole slaw recipe ....

Please subscribe, like and leave feedback!

Breaded Pork Chops Without Bread!

Time for a recipe!

Breaded and baked pork chops without any bread to speak of!

Ingredients

For coating:

8-12 boneless pork chops

2 cups corn meal (gluten free organic)

1 cup ground flax seed

1/2 cup hulled hemp hearts

GMO's in Hawaii: A Test-Site Paradise

 

There is much disinformation in N. America about Hawaii and GMO's .... this solidifies it. Straight from the horses mouth.

#momsforrealfoodinitiative  

 

"Vaseline" - the Other "Gasoline"

Still use Vaseline? We don't recommend it. Especially on babies and children. It doesn't "moisturize" but simply "lock in moisture". (water & hydration are the only sure-fire ways to moisturize- from within!)

It's vacuum distilled crude oil, filtered through bone char to yield petroleum jelly. It also houses hydrocarbons. (Hydrocarbons are bad: like causing a nerve disorder called "peripheral neuropathy")

If you remove the "V", and replace it with a "G". It's a petroleum product. Would you smear gas, petrol or oil on your skin? Of course not. So why do you think it's ok for Vaseline to be on your body?? Just because it's odorless and colorless? So is natural gas, but it will still kill you.

A Fun "Yikes" fact:

"Petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, glows bright blue under a black light. Anything you paint with the petroleum jelly will glow blue under ultraviolet light."

Anne Helmenstine

Jamie Oliver: Teach every child about food TED Talk

“Your child will live a life ten years younger than you because of the landscape of food that we’ve built around them.”

~ Jamie Oliver

Why you should listen to him:

Jamie Oliver has been drawn to the kitchen since he was a child working in his father's pub-restaurant. He showed not only a precocious culinary talent but also a passion for creating (and talking about) fresh, honest, delicious food. In the past decade, the shaggy-haired "Naked Chef" of late-'90s BBC2 has built a worldwide media conglomerate of TV shows, books, cookware and magazines, all based on a formula of simple, unpretentious food that invites everyone to get busy in the kitchen. And as much as his cooking is generous, so is his business model -- his Fifteen Foundation, for instance, trains young chefs from challenged backgrounds to run four of his restaurants.
Now, Oliver is using his fame and charm to bring attention to the changes that Brits and Americans need to make in their lifestyles and diet. Campaigns such as Jamie's School Dinner, Ministry of Food and Food Revolution USA combine Oliver’s culinary tools, cookbooks and television, with serious activism and community organizing -- to create change on both the individual and governmental level.

Join Jamie's Food Revolution: Sign the petition >>

Read more about Jamie Oliver on the TED Blog »

Email to a friend »

Watch this talk »

South Street Burger Company: Good Fast Food??

I don't normally do "food reviews", but this is one of the few occasions where I will.

My reasoning  simply boils down to: sometimes you just want to go for a really good burger and fries.

So, when you are careful about what you eat, where your food comes from, & what's in it etc, where do you go?

FIRST. Let me give you a little back story - because I love a good back story ....