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I Want To Live Like The Kingsolver's

I've spent the last 2 weeks reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle A Year Of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver and I'm ready to pack up and go live on a farm. The day the book came, I took a trip to Meadowview, VA which just happens to be near the Kingsolver farm- talk about a coincidence! The only reason I know this is that we passed the college where her husband works, so one can only assume they live near by. This was really cool knowing the background of where the book was taking place and being able to picture it in my mind.

Quick snippet of the book is: "Author Barbara Kingsolver and her family abandoned the industrial-food pipeline to live a rural life—vowing that, for one year, they’d only buy food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is an enthralling narrative that will open your eyes in a hundred new ways to an old truth: You are what you eat."

I am a city girl and always have been. I do frequent the farmers market and know where most of our meat, cheeses, fruits and veggies come from. We hand pick our food from local farms when we can and buy only US foods at our local natural/organic food grocers. I am very concerned about the food I serve my family. But there is some satisfaction about picking your own from your garden and eating it fresh that night. We have been blessed to get to do this at E's grandparents farm for several years. Though I've hated not being part of the choosing and planting part.

I have always loved city life and enjoy being close to where there is excitement. But I have this longing to be on a farm, with chickens and growing my own food. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle made it even more so! I tried to have a mini garden in our backyard in NC, but the deer and bunnies enjoy my berries before we get to pick them. The soil isn't great for many things, and we are in the middle of a neighborhood that sprays pesticides and other junk that goes into my yard. Not something I want in our veggies.

Being in VA 2 weekends ago was beautiful, relaxing, and the perfect place to raise a family on a farm. It's a different pace than the city, which as I get older, I appreciate more. After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle I feel like I have the knowledge and empowerment to want to grow my own food and support local farming even more. Even with noting Barbara's difficulties and set backs. Hopefully I will be able to find a way to do this and am starting to germinate some seeds to prepare for planting this year.

I have put my family through so many different food challenges over the past 3 years, but I feel like we are all healthier from it. And I have a feeling that once Spring comes, they are about to go through a whole new food transition by eating what is available locally at the time. I think that will really push us to be more creative with food, not waste as much, and enjoy what is in season more from our area.

If you are interested in food and want to learn what it takes to grow throughout a whole season, while learning every aspect of food- I highly recommend reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle!

Could you live an entire year eating locally or the food from your garden? Barbara Kingsolver transplanted her family from the deserts of Arizona to the mountains of Virginia for their endeavor. Join From Left to Write on February 21 as we discuss Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. As a member of From Left to Write, I received a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Happy Valentines Day

Organic Brownies

There is nothing better than homemade brownies. This is by far my favorite recipe and the best brownies I've ever had. They are rich, chewy, buttery, and melt in your mouth devine! Hope you and your family enjoys as much as mine. Be sure to use Organic Valley butter because it makes a huge difference in taste!

10 TBS. Organic Valley Butter

1 1/4 organic cane sugar

3/4 cup organic fair trade cocoa

2 TBS organic vanilla

2 TBS water

2 large cage-free organic eggs (keep in fridge until time to use)

1/3 cup organic stone wheat flour

2 TBS organic coconut flour (optional)

1 cup organic walnuts

Heat to 325F and place rack in bottom 1/3 of the oven for top crispness. Place foil over 8X8 pan (or use foil heart pan like pictured) and grease with butter.

In a medium saucepan, heat 10 TBS of butter on medium heat. The butter will begin to foam and then bits of brown will rise to the top- when it stops foaming take off heat. Immediately add sugar, cocoa, vanilla, water. Wait 5 minutes and then add 1 egg at a time. Stir until silky smooth and add flour. After mixed, add walnuts.
*See how it looks different than regular brownie mix. You want it thick and shiny- not runny.
Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick is clean.

This is a special recipe post for Healthy Child Healthy World.

YoKids Greek

Stonyfield just launched the first kids greek yogurt- YoKids Greek! Last month I announced my partnership with Stonyfield as a Yo-Getter and we were sent samples of the yummy new line. I think this video says it all:

According to Stonyfield, YoKids Greek is:

• Deliciously mild, thick & creamy taste kids LOVE
• No mouth-puckering tang
• Packed with nutrition parents want
• Certified Organic, Kosher & Gluten Free
• 50% more protein than leading kids yogurt
• Excellent source of calcium – more than any other kids yogurt
• Made with lowfat (1%) organic milk
• Made without yucky stuff parents don’t want
• No fillers, gelatin, artificial colors or high fructose corn syrup
• Made without the use of GMO’s, toxic pesticides, antibiotics or hormones

Package: 3.75oz 4pk
Flavors: Strawberry & Raspberry
Suggested price: $2.89

Availability: Super Target, Meijer, Hannaford, Whole Foods (select regions), plus more to come…

We both really enjoyed the taste. It isn't as tangy as regular Greek Yogurt- which E isn't a huge fan of. I mixed the regular Oikos Greek chocolate yogurt with the YoKids Greek to make our delicious ice pops last week. They were soooo delicious! You can even freeze the multipacks and put them in your child's lunch box. They should be thawed by lunch time!

Speaking of multipack cups, did you know that all of the YoKids multipacks are made out of plants? The YoKids site says, "Plant your seeds in yogurt cup and do as the Lorax says. 'Give it clean water. Give it fresh air.' Soon enough you'll have a plant in a cup made from plants!" How cool is that? We will so be trying this!!

Stonyfield has teamed up with the new Dr. Suess' The Lorax movie and has some fun games, activities, and learning tools on their website. Be sure to stop by and play for a chance to win a personal screening of Dr. Suess's The Lorax and a organic garden for your child's school! And stop by the YoKids Facebook page to win one of four grand prizes ranging from a year's worth of free YoKids yogurt to $2,000 in organic groceries.