Dr. Oetker Organic Muffin Mix Cornmeal

Dr. Oetker, a German-based manufacturer of frozen pizzas, baking mixes, dessert mixes and more, offers a USDA certified Organics line, including this cornmeal muffin mix in a 16.9 oz box.

Preparation is easy: just add 1 cp water, 1 egg, 2 tbsp of oil. I followed the directions to the T and used a 12-cup muffin pan as suggested on the box. Instead of using liners, I greased the pan with butter.

The resulting muffins were OK. Tender, with a nice crumb and a satisfying grittiness that is the hallmark of cornbread. Still, I thought it was a tad dry and kind of blah tasting. I'll continue searching for a better cornbread mix.

Eggland's Best Organic Grade A Brown Eggs

I've been picking these up at Costco (they come two dozen to a pack) because I'm trying to increase our Omega 3 intake in our diets. While some reviews have found these types of eggs to taste fishy, I haven't heard any complaints of the sort. Having never eaten brown eggs, I was surprised at how sturdy the shells seemed to be compared to white eggs; they almost appear to be fake to my inexperienced eye. But unlike the regular eggs I usually buy at Costco, every one I've cracked open has been fresh.

According to their Web site, they feed their hens an all vegeterian diet that contains: healthy grains, canola oil, and an all natural supplement of rice bran, alfalfa, sea kelp and Vitamin E. What it doesn't have: animal fat, animal byproducts, recycled or processed food, hormones or antibiotics.

According to their nutritional comparison:

Eggland’s Best eggs contain seven times more Vitamin E than ordinary eggs, 100 mg of Omega 3, shown to be beneficial to the heart, 25% less Saturated Fat, and 185 mcg of Lutein, shown to prevent macular degeneration of the eyes. In addition, Eggland’s Best eggs contain just 180 mg of Cholesterol compared to 215 in an ordinary egg.

Check their Nutritional benefits page for more info.

India Tree Decorating Sugar

This was previously posted at www.supernovamom.com

If I want my kids to try a new food or I just want to jazz up a treat, I reach for colorful sprinkles. Ten-year-old doesn’t like mashed potatoes? A dash of green decorating sugar gets him in the mood. But with the new dietary restrictions I’ve imposed, which includes eliminating artificial colors and flavors, they’ve had to do without their culinary touchups.

Now, however, I’ve found an organic cookie decoration supplier and they can have sprinkles in their ice cream again! Natural candy store sells decorating sugars and nonpareils (those little candy globes) that are colored with natural ingredients such as paprika, annato, turmeric and vegetable juices. As with most organic alternatives that I’ve found, you’ll pay more for it; they go for about $4.80 to $5.40 for about 3 ounces. At least I found ‘em before I started making my Valentine’s Day cookies!

Pizza Roll Wars

This was previously posted on www.supernovamom.com

My son asked if we could try those popular pizza rolls you see in the freezer section, and of course they had artificial colors and transfats. So we tried a couple of the natural/organic versions and the vote was split.

I liked the taste of Health is Wealth Pizza Munchees, which have a whole wheat crust and fat-free soy cheese. The crust was slightly crunchy and it had a yummy pizza taste.

Calories 180 Cholesterol 0 mg
Total Fat 5 grams Sodium 480 mg
Saturated Fat 0 grams Protein 6 g
Trans Fat 0 grams

The kids, however, preferred Amy’s Kitchen Cheese Pizza Snacks, which has organic pizza sauce and reduced fat mozzarella cheese. I thought the crust was a little soft and chewy, but the filling flavors were more like the regular kind (which I have eaten in my youth).

Calories 190 Cholesterol 10 mg
Total Fat 7 g Sodium 390 mg
Saturated Fat 3.5 g Protein 9g
Trans Fat 0 g

Nature's Path Pumpkin FlaxPlus Granola

This was previously posted at my other blog www.supernovamom.com

Ever since I stopped eating those kids’ sugar bomb cereals oh, about two years ago (kidding), I’ve never tried a healthy cereal or granola that would interest me for more than the length of time it took to finish the box. Some were too sweet, some were too bland, none were juuust right. For a while I’d spice up, so to speak, Special K with nuts and fruit, but for the past few years I’d resigned myself to Quaker Oats, Honey & Raisins granola. But still, I sometimes don’t like that coconutty taste and I always pick out and throw away those little tar balls they call raisins.

Now I’ve found my favorite: Nature’s Path Pumpkin FlaxPlus Granola at Costco. It’s just slightly sweet, and the pumpkin and flax seeds really jazz up the flavor. It flows freely into my bowl, not all clumped together like some granola, so I know I won’t be crunch-crunch-crunching my way through breakfast, giving myself a masticatory workout in the process.