New Organic Ranch Dressing: Trying Tessemae’s

Rocking the Ranch dressing t-shirt

You know the baker whose children prefer to eat packaged cookies, or the dress designer whose daughter wants to wear clothes off the rack? Sometimes I feel like that when I cook or bake; pouring time and love into food that my kids want from the store. In fact, my oldest daughter used to say she wanted food we bought, and I wondered - did she think we just found the ingredients I used to cook?

As a matter of fact, the salad dressing I served last night did come free, from the Mom It Forward Influencer Network, and I am being paid to spread the word about Tessemae’s new ranch dressing.

But even without compensation, I would sing the praises of this organic salad dressing, made without sugar, preservatives or artificial ingredients. In fact, one reason I started making my own dressing was I read what was on the label of the dressing I liked and was grossed out. Why buy organic greens and vegetables just to drown them in chemicals?

I know, I know, we all do whatever it takes to get our kids to eat veggies. And eating salad or carrots dipped in ranch is better than eating chips or candy. But when Tessemae’s ranch dressing tastes as good as any other bottled dressing, why not choose the natural one? I’d say Tessemae’s tastes better, but then, I haven’t eaten those gloopy, chemical-laden dressings in so long I can’t really compare.

Tessemae’s, which is sold at Walmart, says ranch is America’s #1 dressing. And if you are in the minority and ranch isn’t your thing, the brand makes 25 dressings, marinades and condiments. I also got to sample the Caesar dressing, which is delicious.

The dressings need to be refrigerated and they are sold in bottles, as well as single use packets. These are great for toting a salad and not having wilted greens. We often bring a big salad to baseball games or on airplane trips since we can’t rely on finding good vegetarian food at ball parks or airports. But with the packets, we can bring our own meals and have crisp lettuce.

The dressings are sugar and dairy free, as well as gluten free (well, most dressings are, unless they have soy) and non-GMO verified. One of my kids is lactose-intolerant, so it’s nice to find a creamy dressing that has no dairy.

I’ve also learned over the years that a salad doesn’t even require greens to be a salad. My kids love this “salad” of corn, tomatoes and avocado, with fake bacon and Ranch dressing. And no fair telling me that tomatoes and avocados are fruits, not vegetables. They love this salad and I’m happy.

Recipe: Roasted Corn and Tomato Salad

1/4 pound veggie bacon, chopped

1 small red onion, chopped

4 to 6 ears corn, stripped (2 to 3 cups kernels)

4 sliced tomatoes

1 medium ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

Ranch dressing

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and cook until just softened, about 5 minutes, then add corn. Continue cooking, stirring or shaking pan occasionally, until corn begins to brown a bit, about 5 more minutes; remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. 

Layer tomatoes and avocado slices on 4 plates. Scatter corn mixture on top. Pour Ranch dressing over everything. Enjoy.

Serves 4

Note: I was paid to sample and write about Tessemae’s. Recipe development and enjoyment were all my own.

Back to School, Back to Baking: Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

Although my youngest child just started her sophomore year of college, I am conditioned to start baking at the beginning of school. Back to school means bake sales and PTA fundraisers, cooler temperatures that allow for baking (hello 90 degrees tomorrow in New York City) and the Jewish holidays, when we host a few dinners and need to have a stock of baked goods on hand.

We also have trips to see our middle daughter's first apartment in Washington, DC and another to Minneapolis for Parents' Weekend.

Mixing in the peanuts

Since we are a peanut butter and chocolate loving family, I decided to bake a simple batch of brownies, but with a healthier twist. I took some butter out of my brownie recipe and replaced it with natural peanut butter (I love the 365 organic natural peanut butter from Whole Foods) and used organic whole wheat flour instead of white flour.

I also used raw cane sugar from The Real Co; it's organic and non-GMO verified. With cage-free organic eggs and a Misto olive oil sprayer for greasing the pan, I reduced most of the chemicals in the  brownies, though I couldn't find organic unsweetened chocolate and had to use Ghirardelli.

Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 C natural (no sugar added) peanut butter
• 1 1/2 C organic raw cane sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 C whole wheat flour
• 1/2 C dry roasted peanuts

Put chocolate and butter in large bowl in microwave and heat for 30 seconds, stir, heat again for 30 seconds, stir, and heat again for 10-15 seconds if needed.  Stir in peanut butter and mix till smooth.

Add sugar and stir. If mixture is cooled enough not to cook eggs, stir them in with the vanilla, flour and nuts.

Mix well.

Spray a 13 x 9 pan with a thin coating of olive oil and smooth mixture into the pan.

Bake 30 minutes, at 350, until brownies are set. Cool on a rack.

Enjoy!

Feel Good About Your Food: The Real Co

The Real Co's Pink Himalayan salt

Buying organic food is great, but when companies like Walmart get into the organic food game, you have to wonder how much the local farmer is being helped.

The Real Co seeks to change that. 

This single origin global food company espouses the mantra “good comes from good.” It just launched with three products: Basmati Rice, Himalayan Pink Rock Salt and Organic Raw Cane Sugar. All of these are sustainably harvested from either a single farm or family with products that can be traced back to their exact origins.

The transparency in food origin extends to transparency in packaging- you can see inside each item.

The Himalayan Pink Rock Salt is handcrafted in the Himalayan Mountains and is a gorgeous contrast in color - I sprinkled it on white chocolate chip cookies for a sweet and salty effect.

The Organic Raw Cane Sugar dissolves in cold liquid as well as hot, so it is ideal for cocktails when you've forgotten to make a simple syrup or for sweetening iced tea.

The third product, white basmati rice, is harvested in Punjabi. It cooked up fluffy and nutty, with each grain holding its integrity.

That integrity extends to the products themselves; the farm workers who help produce these products are paid a fair wage.

Summer Hair - Whether Traveling or at Home

When I travel, I sometimes try out new products, figuring the people I meet will never see me again.This is also why I am the family photographer, hiding behind the lens with frizzy hair or flaking eye shadow.

But I put a new hair product to the ultimate test last week - three days in the rain and Florida humidity. I had just gotten a sample of SheaMoisture's Tahitian Noni & Monoi Smooth & Repair High Shine Glosser, a silicone free styling product that promised smooth hair and controlled frizz.

My curls were even subjected to a test drive in a convertible, and a couple of turns on Disney’s newest ride, the MineTrain roller coaster.

Like all  SheaMoisture products, this is organic and paraben free. Tahitian Noni is an antioxidant, and Vitamin C is added to keep hair healthy. Monoi Oil repairs damaged hair, and keratin smooths it.

Not only that, it is sold at drugstores and is reasonably priced.

Mia Mariu Make Up Giveaway

When I first started wearing make up, I chose organic and natural products because they weren’t tested on animals.

As I grew older, and more sophisticated, I transitioned to mainstream cosmetics – but then I got pregnant and switched back to organic and natural make up again. I figured that if I was eating organic and natural food, what I put on my body was as important as what I put in it.

Then I had my first daughter, and I had to wear organic nail polish. I didn’t want my baby putting her mouth on chemical enamels.

I sort of fell off the organic make up bandwagon over the years, but then my youngest child, the one with the most sensitive skin, began developing rashes from drugstore cosmetics. Plus I read that lipstick contains small amounts of lead.

In other words, it was time for a make-up make over.

Mia Mariu hydrating lipsticks are made with vitamins A, C and E, minerals and anti-oxidants. As a bonus, they also taste better than chemical lipsticks.

And as another bonus, Mia Mariu is offering a Colors For Your Every Mood package to one reader. The package comes with three lipsticks, a uniquely you touch up kit, with mineral powder, mineral blush and three mineral eye shadows, and a make up brush. 

The touch up kit is great for travel, or even just a night out, and the mineral products provide long lasting color.

The retail value of the makeup package is $109.

To find out more about Mia Mariu:

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Google +:  https://plus.google.com/100117820105123788284/posts#100117820105123788284/posts

To enter the giveaway, leave your name and email in the comments.

Disclaimer: Mia Mariu provided me with a sample Colors For Your Every Mood to review. Opinions are my own.

Hand Sanitizer a Mom can Love

Look around at a restaurant sometime. People sit down, touch a menu that others have handled, pick up bread with their hands and start eating – all without washing their hands.

I always make a trip to the restroom, but if there’s no soap, or I’m on the run, I use hand sanitizer.

Of course, this comes with its own perils. Many hand sanitizers are harsh and chemical based, leaving your hands dry and unpleasant smelling.

So I was eager to try out Mother’s Therapy Organics, a gentle cucumber scented hand sanitizer made from lavender plus organic aloe, Echinacea and goldenseal. The sanitizer moisturizes while it cleans; there also a heavy duty Germ-fight’n hand lotion, perfect for keeping next to the sink.

Although I am well past the diaper bag stage, my puppy has outdoor bathroom needs and the sanitizer is great for carrying around after that.

Right now, the products are only sold online, but I bet as demand grows, it will be more widely available.

Roman Pizza in Park Slope: kid and diet friendly

Can you eat pizza and still stay in shape? Probably not if you scarf down a couple of slices at a most Brooklyn pizza joints, but if you go to a restaurant like Campo de’ Fiori, it's easy. First, start with one of the great salads. Even the simple mixed greens had a delicious vinaigrette, and a sprinkling of raw onions. There is also a beet salad, and a radicchio salad with gorgonzola and apples.

We naturally skipped over the cured meats selection and headed straight to the pizzas. The Roman style pizzas use organic wheat in dough that sits overnight, developing the flavor. The eco conscious restaurant also uses organic tomatoes and local vegetables. Plus the chefs profess not to cut down trees or produce on CO2 to cook the pizza. The simple Margherita pizza lets the purity of the ingredients shine. Just the right amount of extremely fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil come together in a deeply satisfying square pie. You can also get pizza with buffalo mozzarella or creamy burrata. We liked the Vignarola, with artichoke hears and topped with salad. Salad on pizza is a sneaky way to get extra veggies into your kids, and it is both tasty and low in calories. There are a number of vegetarian pastas, including one with cauliflower and gorgonzola. We will be back.