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.