Serving up veggies in all of our products!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

We're heading to Expo West

This is an exciting time here at Peas of Mind because next week we’re heading to Southern California to introduce our new product line at Expo West.  Expo West is a huge trade show highlighting organic, natural and other healthy products; anything you’d find in the aisles of a Whole Foods will be exhibiting at this show (all the way from Pet food to tea to hummus to kid's food)!

We’ll be there handing out samples of our new product! Any guesses what it might be? Here are three hints:
  1. It's a kid's food classic.
  2. It's loaded with Broccoli and carrots.
  3. When paired with our veggie wedgies it makes a really yummy, complete and healthy meal.

Friday, February 22, 2013

It's FORT FRYDAY

TGIFF stands for Thank goodness it's FORT FRYDAY.  We're back bringing in the weekend and celebrating  that our Veggie Wedgies are now available in military commissaries!

Today our hometown hero is Stacy Fiore, a military wife,  mom and blogger who writes for  Raising Chaos a sweet and funny blog about living life military style.  We hope that Stacy finds some Peas of Mind with our Veggie Fries while she's raising all that chaos!

More from this week's hometown hero, Stacy Fiore:


How long have you been a military wife?
"I've been a military spouse for almost 7 years. September of this year will make 8!" 

What made you start your website/blog?
"I love to write. One of my closest friends had a great blog going and I loved reading everything she wrote. She inspired me to start writing my stories down on the internet and that's how my blog got started. If it weren't for her, I probably would have never started it."

Do you or have you lived on base? Which one?
"Nope. Never lived on base. We've always chosen to live close enough to take advantage of what the base offers but never on."

What is the best thing about base life?
"I don't live on base but I still take advantage of the commissary. We live near a big base so it has a lot of events year round that are very family oriented. Also, I LOVE watching all the planes and helicopters flying around. You can even see the paratroopers jumping from where we live. It's really cool to watch."

What is your favorite food to prepare for your family this time of year?
"Soups. Winter to me means lots and lots of soups. Our current favorite is broccoli and cheese or chicken tortilla."

You are on a deserted island and can only bring one thing...Go!
"My family. I could stay on the island forever if I had my family with me. If I couldn't bring my family (since technically it would be 4 things) I would bring my cell phone and pray that I had reception so I could call for help."

Is Military wife life what you thought it would be?
"Before my husband and I got married, I only had a glimpse of military life. I really had no idea what all it would entail. It is definitely not what I thought it would be. I think some people think of military life as glamorous. They think of homecomings like they are in the movies. But military life is hard and homecomings are nothing like they are in the movies. In fact, most spouses will tell you the coming home and reintegration is harder than the actual deployment. But seeing my husband do what he does makes me so proud of him and all of our servicemen and women. I've learned so much and grown so much as a person because of all the challenges thrown our way. I love him so much and wouldn't change my military wife life for anything."

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Kitchen Staples that will give you Peas of Mind!


Here at Peas of Mind we’re always trying to find simple and quick ways to eat healthy.  Over the years we’ve found a few kitchen staples we like to always have in our fridge, freezer and pantry and thought it was about time to share them.  These ingredients are not only cost effective they are also totally versatile and can be used in dozens of different ways for quick, nutritious and satisfying meals. 

Pantry
Quinoa: This ancient grain is a complete protein and super easy to make.  It takes half the time of white rice to cook and has a nice nutty flavor that can be used in place of rice, in soups and as the base of a salad. 
Quinoa Pasta:  An absolutely delicious gluten free pasta option PLUS it’s a protein powerhouse. It cooks up in under ten minutes which means that while your pasta is boiling you can heat up some marinara sauce, add some finely chopped kale, sliced mushrooms and fresh herbs and you have a deliciously complete meal in under 15 minutes. 
Garbanzo beans: Whether you choose to call them garbanzo beans or chickpeas they’ll always be PACKED with calcium and fiber. By adding these to a salad, a veggie-stir fry or using a blender and puree them into hummus you’re making sure that you get a major dose of protein and ensuring that you’ll feel nice and full.
Coconut Oil: We are using coconut oil in place of butter in baking, pan-frying with it and using it as our starter oil when cooking garlic and onion for any dish.  It’s been shown to help the body absorb vitamins, fight off viruses and reduce inflammation not to mention the fact that it’s buttery and delicious! And even though it's not the cheapest of oils, a little goes a long way.
Oats: Besides the obvious breakfast porridge, oats can be used in many different "non-breakfast" ways. Sub oats in place of flour in cookies and crisps, cook into a savory porridge with herbs and mushrooms then cut it into squares and pan fry it with coconut oil for a delicious savory polenta like side dish and  use as a healthy option to crust fish in.


Freezer
Frozen Brown Rice: This is our favorite “I’ve got NO time to cook” grain option.  It takes 3 minutes to heat up, can be found at Trader Joe’s for under $4 and is totally nutritious. 
Veggie Wedgies, Peas of Pie and Pull-a-parts: We always have our freezer stocked with Peas of Mind product because you never know when you’re going to need a meal in under 10 minutes and how great is it that you’re feeding your family their favorite foods and sneaking in all the goodness that comes along with veggies.


Produce
Lemons: Lemons are packed with vitamin C and have been known to reduce heartburn by alkalizing acid in the body.  Lemons also help your body absorb iron so adding a squeeze of lemon to your veggies, fish and sauces is not only fresh and tasty but it's also really good for you.
Fresh Herbs: Fresh herbs can bring your color-less leftovers to life, add fresh and bold flavors to simple meals and are packed with a surprising amount of vitamins and minerals.  
Apples: This time of year is a great time to always have apples on hand.  They are a great snack (apples and peanut butter tops the list as one of our all time favorite snacks) cut up and topped with oats, coconut butter, sugar and cinnamon to make a super quick and yummy apple crisp or toss in a smoothie for added sweetness and fiber. 
Kale: This is one of the most vitamin packed foods you can eat (I’m pretty sure Popeye was eating Kale not Spinach all those years).  Whether you’re adding it to your smoothies, stir-frying it with oil, lemon, salt and pepper, subbing it for lettuce in a sandwich, finely chopping it and sneaking it into your pasta sauce or adding it into your homemade pesto, it’s an incredible food to add into you and your family’s diets. 

The following are some honorable “kitchen staple” mentions:  black beans, pecans, peanut butter, sesame seeds, olive oil, frozen fruit, canned tomatoes, cheddar cheese, pan spray and tofu.

So add these items to your shopping list and get creative in the kitchen. We'd love to hear about any recipes that you come up with using our kitchen staples, feel free to comment below.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Valentine's Day Reci-pea



Valentine’s day is a day overflowing with love, hearts, flowers, all things pink and CANDY, CANDY, CANDY! So on a day when candy, chocolate and cookies are supposed to be consumed for every meal how do you make sure that your family is eating healthy but still enjoying the holiday? Simple, you make this month’s reci-pea: St. Valentine’s Vegan Cornbread Muffins!  These sweet treats can be consumed as a healthy dessert or a yummy breakfast because they are low in fat and contain applesauce instead of butter and eggs.  We’ve also added beets, which not only turns the muffins a festive shade of pink, they add vitamin A and C.  Vitamin A is important for healthy bone development and vitamin C helps the body heal. Have a happy and healthy Valentine’s Day and enjoy!

St Valentine’s Vegan Cornbread Muffins:
• ½ cup white cornmeal
• ½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup applesauce
• 2 medium beets (should be about ¼ cup when puréed)
• ½ cup soymilk or other milk of your choice
• ¼ cup agave nectar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Cut and wash beets (do not peel). Place beets in a pot and cover them with water.  Boil over medium heat for 20 minutes or until beets pierce easily with a fork.

Once the beets are cool enough to handle, gently rub the skins with your fingers until the skin peels off.

Roughly chop beets and place them in a food processor.  Add enough water to pulse into a smooth puree.  Continue to pulse until beets are very smooth.  I opted for the easier option of buying precooked and peeled beets from Trader Joes (this speeds up the recipe quite a bit).

Lightly grease a muffin tin with pan spray.

Combine white cornmeal, wheat flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl; stir in the beet purée and applesauce, soymilk and agave.

Pour mixture into a muffin tin.

Bake for about 15 minutes. (To make sure they are fully cooked check by inserting a toothpick to see if it comes out clean). 

Makes 6 Muffins.


Friday, February 8, 2013

Fort Frydays


It's Friday, so you know what that means! FORT FRYDAYS is back and once again we're celebrating that our Veggie Wedgies are now available in military commissaries!

This week we're featuring Michelle, the awesome mom, wife and blogger behind Military Wives Savings.  If you haven't visited her website, you should check it out ASAP; she's constantly posting great deals, coupons and wonderful ways to help military families save money!




More from Michelle, this week's hometown here: 

What branch of the military is your spouse in? 
"Army. He's been in since January 2007, so a few months before we met."

How long have you been a military wife? 
"I've been a milspouse since January 2008, 2 months after we started dating. One of our mutual friends set us up on a blind date when we were at Ft Lewis, WA and we spent everyday together since that night :)"

Do you have kids? If so, what are their names and ages? 
"We have 2 and one on the way (any SECOND now LOL) ... Hailey is 4 and Clint, Jr. is 2." (We found out that a few days after Michelle sent this, she gave birth to her third child. CONGRATULATIONS MICHELLE!)

Do you or have you lived on base? Which one?
"We have never actually lived "on-post" ...It's always been off. However, we are at Ft. Bliss now and I honestly wish we lived on-post for that sense of community and family-feeling. We do not speak spanish so we really don't know our neighbors ...."

What is the best thing about base life? 
"Best thing about military life ... gotta say Tricare! I've saved about $20,000 having my two kids so far :) Seriously, I would say the sense of pride being of apart of the military. You know your spouse is doing something so selfless to defend our country and you get to share that with them. It makes me so proud to say that I'm a military spouse!"

What is your favorite food to prepare for your family? 
"Mmmmm, that has to be Chicken Cacciatore hands down. Whether it's on the stove or in the slow-cooker, it's simply delicious. It's even better the next day! The kids don't like it but hubby and I do!"

-You are on a deserted island and can only bring one thing...Go! 
"Hopefully someone is paying the internet bill back on land, so that would be my laptop with built-in wifi :) If there's no wifi, I'd bring a fishing pole for food and fun."

-Is Military wife life what you thought it would be? 
"I never thought I'd be a military wife, although I grew up as a military brat, go figure. I have to say I'm used to this lifestyle, moving every few years, having to readjust. When I was younger, I went to three high schools, and I truly can't remember some of my teachers names. It's just been a way of life for me and I don't know how to live any other way."


Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Grocery shop like a pro!


Last week we had a pretty chaotic grocery store experience.  As we left the store and pushed our over-flowing cart into the parking lot, we realized that we had just committed some major grocery shopping “no nos.” We rolled through each aisle “window shopping” throwing anything and everything into the cart that sounded yummy (at the time). We were beyond hungry so we grabbed a bag of something salty and crunchy and munched until the bag was empty and at the check out counter, stared in shock as we realized we’d gone way over our weekly grocery budget.  So as we plan this week’s grocery outing, we’ve decided to figure out a few simple ways to make the experience and outcome easy, breezy and healthy.
  1. Make a list. The last thing you want to do is browse.  Before you head to the store, figure out what you actually need for the week and organize the list by sections in the store so that you’re not making circles and ending up in aisles you don’t want to be in.
  2. Plan a head.  When you make your list, plan for actual dinners and lunches.  But it’s also important to shop for all occasions; be prepared for Saturday morning pancake requests, savory after-school snacks like our Pull-a-Parts which are yummy and contain a serving of veggies in every box.  Don’t forget about that night you really don’t want to cook (which usually happens to us on Friday after a long week).  Your best option is to have lots of Peas of Pies on hand!  Quick, yummy and totally nutritious!  
  3. Read and compare labels.  It’s so important to choose food with a few ingredients, if you find yourself reading the label of something for more then one minute, put it back.  You want to look for foods that contain fiber, vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium and foods that are low in sodium, trans and saturated fat and cholesterol.   
  4. Don’t go hungry!  Your hunger pangs will fill your cart with things that may sound good at the time but usually they’re food you’ll really regret when you’re unpacking your groceries.
  5. Bring a reusable bag.  This not only helps the environment but it allows you to think realistically about how much food you’ll be buying. If you get to check out and you have more food than you do bag space, you might want to rethink those two boxes of brownie mix that were buy one get one free. 
  6. Pick out one new food (we highly recommend experimenting with a seasonal vegetables and grains).  This will help save you money (seasonal produce is usually on sale), encourage your family to try new foods and help you liven up your recipes.  Its win, win, win!