Food of the Month: PEACHES

One of our favorite things about summer time is PEACHES, PEACHES AND MORE PEACHES! There's nothing like a perfectly ripe peach on a hot summer's day. We love them so much that while we eat them, we can't stop singing "Millions of Peaches, PEACHES for me. Millions of Peaches, peaches for free!"

Not only are peaches the tastiest summer stone fruit, they're also highly nutritious and surprisingly low in calories!

Did you know that peaches are high in potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C and fiber? Not only are they good to eat, you can also add peach puree to your natural homemade beauty mask as Vitamin A and C are great skin moisturizers!

Peaches are a natural stress-reliever and tend to have a positive effect on anxiety. When you think about it, have you ever felt stressed while eating a peach? We didn't think so. Not to mention the fact that they're also known to calm an upset stomach. Next time you're feeling stressed out and a bit woozy, bite into a peach and let your stress and nausea float away.

Peaches are great at supporting weightless as most medium sized peaches are about 58 calories but due to all the fiber, they make you feel full. Not to mention the fact that they help fight against obesity related diseases like diabetes and heart diseases this is because peaches are loaded with antioxidants.

Normally at this point in our food of the month post, we'd list a few easy recipes and ways to incorporate the food of the month into your diet. But this month, we can confidently say that the best way to eat a peach is to simply eat it. Whether you just devour it whole or cut it up into wedges, the choice is yours, but whatever you do eat millions of peaches this summer!

BBQ Cauliflower Wings

This month’s reci-pea we are taking an all American classic and transforming it into a meatless, low-fat, gluten-free dish that packs in the protein as well as servings of veggies.  Time to cut up some carrots, celery and grab your favorite creamy dressing because we’re making BBQ Cauliflower Wings!

In this main course (or side dish) we replace the chicken with cauliflower, the batter with gluten-free chickpea flour and we bake it up instead of deep-frying.  Not only is this reci-pea easy and quick to make, the preparation methods are very kid friendly.  So grab your little ones, apron up and get ready to enjoy a healthy version of this American classic.

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower

2 cups garbanzo bean flower (also known as Chickpea flour)

1 1/3 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp garlic powder 

1 Tbsp onion powder

2 tsp paprika

1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut cauliflower into large bite sized pieces (about the size of BBQ wings). Combine garbanzo bean flower, water, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika in a large bowl and mix together until smooth (you want it to be the consistency of pancake batter).  Cover a large baking tray with parchment paper.  Dip cauliflower pieces into batter so that it’s fully covered and lay flat on tray.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Pull out of the oven and check the texture of the cauliflower piece; it should be crispy, if it’s still gooey put back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

Once out of the oven, let cool for 5 minutes then place the cooked cauliflower wings into a large bowl. Pour the BBQ sauce over the wings and mix gently with your hands. Serve with cut up carrots, celery and your favorite creamy dressing! Serves 4.

Get our perspective!

Here at Peas of Mind we love figuring out ways to make parent's lives easier and more fulfilling. We make all natural frozen food that's loaded with veggies and quick to prepare so that Moms and Dads don't have to worry about their picky eaters not getting enough veggies. We love providing recipes that take classic "kid food" and reinvent it so it's loaded with veggies; we're always trying to practice stealth health.  This month we decided we wanted to hear from you and provide our perspective on your questions.  So write in and we'll give you our Peas Perspective on how to make your kids healthier and happier at the kitchen table!

Our VERY first question is from Suzanne from San Jose, CA.  She asks: How do I get my daughter to eat more protein? She has a major sweet tooth and I'm always trying to find creative ways to add protein from real foods to her favorite foods.

This is a great question Suzanne and the truth is we could ALL benefit from adding more protein into our diet!

Our favorite protein rich foods that lend themselves to sweeter dishes are: nuts, nut butters, chickpeas (tahini sesame seed butter) and quinoa.  A great way to start your daughter's day is by making her a sweet quinoa porridge. Any grain porridge is healthy and delicious but quinoa is a complete protein that contains about 7g per serving; it's is simple and easy to make and you can make it to her liking by adding her favorite flavors like berries, maple syrup or chocolate.  A sprinkle of almond meal will take it to the next level protein wise and she'll never be the wiser.

Now that it's stone fruit season try making a fruit crumble and changing up your favorite crumble recipe by replacing the oil or butter with tahini and ground up nuts.  It will have the same crunchy, buttery flavor that we all expect from a sweet crumble but with good fats and lots of protein.

Chickpeas are a great protein rich snack and an easy way to make these beans "sweet tooth" approved is by roasting them so that they're crunchy.  Simply mix drained chick peas with honey, cinnamon and any of your favorite sweeteners or spices and roast on parchment paper for 45 minutes on 375 degrees. Then end result is a sweet and crunch snack that your daughter will devour like popcorn.

We'd love to feature your question next month! Simply email feedback@peasofmind.com with your question, name and the city you're from and we'll give you our Peas Perspective!

Food of the Month - Carrots!

This month we're feasting on CARROTS! Not only are carrots important ingredients in our carrot Veggie Wedgies, Peas of Pie, Garden Grown Nuggets and Pull-a-Parts - they're healthy, delicious and very versatile.  Carrots are in season this time of year so check out your local farmers market or grocer to explore the wide range of different types of carrots; we have a feeling your little ones will LOVE eating Kaleidoscope carrots which come in purple, red, yellow and white.

Carrots are a perfect fridge staple as they can be served hot or cold, used in savory or even sweet dishes.  One trick to ensuring that your family enjoys the array of carrots you'll be serving this spring is to experiment with different types of cuts. Here are some time saving tips on different ways to cut carrots:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C79WRZrZ-ys  Currently, our favorite way to eat a carrot is by peeling the whole thing. This spaghetti like cut is great for salads as it adds crunch but blends in nicely with lettuce greens, it looks beautiful and tastes really good with light spring inspired dill dressings!

Carrots ARE good for your eyes; they're loaded with vitamin A which is good for the immune system and of course vision. It also helps the lungs, heart and kidneys function properly.  Carrots also contain a large amount of Vitamin K which can help against blood clots, cancer and heart disease. 


Have you every tried adding carrots to your families favorite meals? We love adding carrots to pancakes, marinara sauces, muffins and meat balls.  The secret is in the finely chop (or simply use a food processor) to get the carrots down to an unnoticeable size.  And remember, the perfect side dish for your carrot infused meat balls are Peas of Mind's carrot fries. Your little one's plate will be LOADED with vitamin A and we promise, dinner will be scarfed down before you can say CARROTS ARE MY FAVORITE SPRING VEGETABLE!

The "other" greens

"Finish all your Greens" demanded your Mom which is why you repeat it to your little ones.  "Greens" which usually makes us think of broccoli, spinach, kale and salad fixings are an essential part of a healthy diet.  But because we're Peas of Mind, we're here to shake things up and change the way you think of greens and help you incorporate some "other greens" into your families diet.

We're talking about FRESH HERBS! Now that it's spring, herbs are available at your local grocery store, your favorite farmer's market or hey, even your garden!  Not only are they loaded with nutrients they're packed with flavor and can add zest and pizazz to any meal. Yes, herbs are great to cook with but for an extra dash of flavor and nutrition, add freshly chopped herbs to your fully prepared meal. Uncooked-raw herbs are much more potent.

Our favorite herbs include basil, dill, thyme, rosemary, cilantro and parsley.  Fresh herbs like these contain a powerful antioxidant as well as an anti-bacterial that can help you fight a cold! Most herbs are extremely high in vitamin K and are a loaded with vitamin A and C, iron, magnesium and folate.

Now you can confidently serve your family their favorite meals: add extra parsley and basil to your favorite pesto recipe, a double sprinkle of cilantro on your famous enchiladas and put another sprig of rosemary in the lemon, garlic noodles that your kids love so much!  And with all these meals, you'll never have to say "FINISH all your greens" because they'll eat everything up and they'll never be the wiser!

Veggie Pickles

Here at Peas of Mind, we pride ourselves on getting kids to eat their veggies. Whether

we’re loading up pizza with hidden veggies or turning a broccoli floret into a tasty French fry, we’ve made it our mission to make it easy for you to get your kiddos to eat their daily dose of veggies. This month we’re taking a kid classic and reinventing it into a healthy, satisfy and crunchy afterschool snack.  This month’s recipea is the VEGGIE PICKLE and the perfect activity for you and your kiddos on a rainy spring day and  delicious side dish at a sunny picnic. 

The great thing about our reinvented pickles is that they’re easy to prepare and can last up to a month in your refrigerator (the longer they’re in your fridge, the better they’ll taste).

On your mark, get set, Pickle!

 Ingredients:

About 4 cups of your favorite vegetables, raw and chopped into large bite size pieces (carrots, cauliflower, green beans, onions and turnips are all delicious).

1 Tbsp dill seeds

1 Tbsp coriander

2 Tbsp mustard seeds

2 Tbsp black peppercorns

1 bayleaf

3 Tbsp kosher salt

2 Tbsp sugar

5 cloves of garlic

2 cups white vinegar

2 cups water

Method

Put garlic and bite size vegetables into a quart size jar (make sure to leave about 1 inch at the top of the jar) and set aside. In a medium saucepan combine vinegar and water and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and add dill seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns, bay leaf, salt and sugar. Stir until dissolved.  Turn off heat and let cool until the brine is at room temperature.  Pour room temperature brine into the quart jar making sure that all of the vegetables are covered with the mixture and tightly twist on the lid. Shake everything together (this is a fun thing for your little ones to do) and leave in the refrigerator to “pickle” for at least 24 hours. Pickles will be PERFECT after about 5 days. 

Spring into SPRING!

It's official: Spring has sprung!  We're so excited about the warmer weather, longer days and blossoms on the trees…but the thing that makes us want to jump for joy is SPRING PRODUCE!

The bounties of this season are not only tasty, they're full of nutrients and many seasonal fruits and veggies are detoxifying too.  So if you're like us and feeling the need to cleanse and detoxify but want to continue on life as usual, just incorporate some of the below spring produce into your diets.

Without any further adieu, the following is our Spring into Spring produce recommendations:

Cruciferous veggies (aka broccoli, kale, cauliflower, collards, etc)

These delicious veggies are not only jam packed with cancer-fighting nutrients they help clear up the liver’s detoxification pathways and can even support the body in eliminating fat.

Garlic

Green garlic (looks a lot like large green onions) is not only a gourmet treat; it’s an antibiotic that can reduce toxins in the body.  Similarly to cruciferous veggies, it’s a powerhouse at detoxifying the liver.

Artichokes

These beautiful flowers are not only fun to eat-they’re incredibly healthy.  Artichokes support the body in digesting fats and purifying the liver.  If you’re feeling extra daring you can drink the left over artichoke water (the water that you used to cook the artichokes in) as this water is incredibly high in antioxidants and very cleansing for the digestive tract.

Beets

These sweet and earthy roots are loaded with B vitamins, beta carotene, calcium and iron, all of which help with detoxification of the digestive tract and gallbladder.

Strawberries

Representing dessert in our top five is the perfectly delicious STRAWBERRY! We all know that they’re loaded with anti-oxidants but did you know that they’re an incredible source of vitamin C? Vitamin C is an important part of detoxifying the body as it removes fat deposits from the arteries.

So next time you’re at the market, don’t forget to load up your cart with these seasonal gems, your taste buds and your health will thank you!