Crack Taters aka Baked Baby Potatoes

Best. Baked. Potatoes. EVER.

Ingredients 

3 lbs Small Potatoes

1 Green & Yellow pepper

1 cup Olive Oil

1 cup Hemp Oil

1/4 cup Rice Vinegar

2 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar

2 tbsp Italian Seasoning

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan 

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350.

Use a deep dish stoneware or cast iron dish (9 x 12 x 3).

Mix all ingredients except potatoes and peppers, in a mason jar - shake it like a Polaroid picture.

Wash and cut potatoes in half - except the really itty bitty ones: bite sized is the goal.

Dice peppers.

Pour wet over dry and toss.

Leave to marinate for 20 - 45 minutes.

Bake at 350 for 1hr and 45 mins.

Toss intermittently.

Serve warm with other stuff, or eat it all in one sitting, like I know you want to. ENJOY.

Dannon Makes a Bold Move Towards Non-GMO Ingredients and Labeling.

I could very well eat yogurt until the cows proverbially come home. 
But with the insurgence of GMO's in cow feed, crops, and a general lack of transparency in the corporate food market, I've literally stopped buying it.

I know, I know, there's a grand debate on whether or not any dairy is good for you ... we at Moms For Real Food Initiative are still on the fence with that discussion.
I do know, that most people who are diet, food and health conscious, know that probiotics are good for your guts. And having an option that is tasty, readily available, non-GMO, and something their kids will eat, is always a win!
 
So when comapnies like Dannon make a bold move to change their practices, I sit up and listen. 

Image provided by Dannon #KnowYourYogurt

DANNON MAKES THE MOVE TOWARDS NON-GMO LABELING ...


Dannon listened to the consumer when they demanded more honest and clear GMO labeling. Consumers have made a very clear move towards more naturally sourced and manufactured products, so Dannon decided to ride with that movement by evolving all three flagship brands toward the use of non-GMO ingredients: Dannon, Oikos, Danimals.

These flagship brands represent nearly 50% of their sales, and this change is being reflected in all countries in which Dannon products are sold. 



Dannon decided to work with US feed suppliers and farmers to start planting non-GMO feed for their cows as soon as possible to fulfill their needs. Once those changed are implemented, the products sourced to the above mentioned three brand families will contain milk from cows eating the non-GMO feed.


DANNON'S TIMELINE FOR THESE CHANGES?


By the end of 2017 ALL products within the Dannon brand family will be made with non-GMO ingredients and they will have completed a full conversion.


Side note: Dannon still believes that currently approved GMO's are safe. However they also believe in their consumers who predominantly prefer non-GMO ingredients. So addressing this preponderant demand by building a strong relationship with farmers, and accelerating these changes to meet that demand, means quite a lot.


IN THE MEAN TIME ...


A commitment to labeling GMO products is the forefront of their campaign of corporate-to-consumer transparency. 
By December 2017 the presence of GMO's in their products will be clearly labeled, independent of whatever actions are taken regarding labeling by the US government.


By taking on this practice, Dannon becomes the very first leading national yogurt maker to embrace sourcing locally, and non-GMO. They already far into implementing safe and fair animal practices via the Validus Certification system.
 
Projecting proudly by the end of July 2016 (yes this month) more than 90% of their direct milk supply will come from farmers that are certified in this manner.


By now, you know Moms For Real Food Initiative is all about transparency and real food maintaining companies!

This move by such a large corporation will hopefully encourage other comapnies to follow suit.

(For specific information on the Dannon Pledge please visit their website www.DannonPledge.com )


You can keep up with these changes by following Dannon on their various social media platforms:
Facebook - Twitter - Instagram - Website - PLEDGE
Here is a link to their list of Ingredients 




*This post contains content sponsored by The Dannon Company, Inc. The opinions expressed in Moms For Real Food Initiative's post are our own.
For more information on Dannon's move toward sustainable agriculture, naturality and transparency, and nongmo ingredients visit www.dannonpledge.com and www.dannon.com/ingredients *

Who's Your Farmer? Cilantro and Chive Restaurant

So far with "Who's Your Farmer?" we've focused on people who USE farmers ... and that's ok! Because without these amazing people who use locally produced and sustained foods, our local farmers wouldn't be as famous as they are.
Keri visited Cilantro and Chive on Lacombe, AB, a few months ago and could not stop raving about them. So she left the owner a note (albeit a slightly tipsy napkin note) to contact her.
A couple weeks later she got an email from the dubious Rieley Kay, chef and co-owner.
He proceeded to tell her that not only were they a local restaurant, but that they source locally, and where possible use organic producers! WIN-WIN-WIN!

So we made an appointment to go visit and have a little chat. 
Below is the video of the interview, and the some really great information about Cilantro and Chive's origin, a list of farmers they use, AND a list of BREWERIES AND DISTILLERIES they use.  
You are welcome.