Food

Are you a vegetarian looking for new meals or maybe looking for Meatless Monday recipe ideas? These recipes are great for vegetarians, flexitarians or anyone looking to reduce their meat intake. 

Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative started in 2003. The goal is to reduce meat consumption by 15% for personal health and the health of the planet.

It’s a great way for everyone to make an effort to reduce their meat consumption without a big dietary change.

If you are interested in participating check out this great collection of meatless recipes. Many of the recipes are vegan-friendly as well. They are so delicious you will start to look forward to Meatless Monday.

Meatless Monday Recipes

• Eggplant Pulled Pork Burger
• Pinto Bean Tacos
• Burrito Bowl with Lentils and Black Beans

• Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
• Bolognese Sauce
• Mushroom Goulash

• Meatball Subs
• Chana Masala
• Lentil Tacos

• Smoky Lentil Sloppy Joes
• Spinach Burgers
• Alfredo with Cajun Broccoli

• Enchiladas with Butternut Squash and Black Beans
• Mushroom Sliders with Smoky Onion Jam
• Cauliflower Scampi in Lemon Garlic White Wine Sauce

• Greek Zucchini Pie
• Baked Red Lentil Quinoa Fritters
• Baked Spaghetti

• Roasted Butternut Squash Feta Pierogi
• Grilled Portobello Mushroom Asparagus Fajitas 
• Fried Eggplant Casserole

• Quinoa Enchilada Bake
• Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
• Black Bean and Mushroom Shepherds Pie

• Broccoli, Bean, and Cheese Vegetarian Calzone
• Grilled Vegetable Shish Kebabs
• Greek Buddha Bowl with Chickpeas and Squash

Looking for more Meatless Monday recipes? Check out Meatless Instant Pot Recipes and Vegan Instant Pot Recipes.

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Want to eat great local food and support local farmers? Join a CSA and do just that. Not sure what a CSA is or how to join a CSA? We can help you get started. 

Have you already started thinking about fresh vegetables and fruit from the garden? Do you enjoy the taste of fresh crisp carrots, sweet corn fresh off the stock, juicy tomatoes? Local farmers have been preparing all this and more, just for you!

Local farmers are starting to offer their freshest produce and vegetables to you their friends, neighbors, and the local community. You can find these locally grown vegetables and fruits, eggs, and more at a variety of places; farmers markets, food co-ops, and CSAs. You may already be familiar with the farmers market and the food co-op. A CSA is Community Supported Agriculture. It’s a popular way to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer.

If you aren’t familiar with a CSA, this is it in a nutshell. A farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a “membership” or a “subscription”) and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

Spring and summer shares are now available from a variety of farms around Oklahoma and the United States. Shares generally feed 3-4 people and a half share, when available, will feed 2-3 people for 1 week. Costs and length of the membership will vary by the farmer. You can expect to pay anywhere from $20-$40 a week per share. Memberships can last 8 to 20+ weeks. Food is generally available for pick up at the farm or at designated pick up sites.

Why You Should Join a CSA

Joining a CSA has rewards for both the farmer and the consumer.

Advantages for farmers:

• Marketing can be done early in the year before their long days in the field begin.
• Payments are received early in the season, which helps with the farm’s expenditures.
• Have a guaranteed market for their products.
• Have an opportunity to get to know the people who consume their products.

Advantages for consumers:

• Receive ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits.
• Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking.
• Find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm – even veggies they’ve never been known to eat before.
• Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown.
• Keep their money local which helps everyone.

WHERE TO FIND A LOCAL CSA

• Eat Well Guide. Find local, sustainable, and organic products in your area. The site includes CSAs, farmers markets, farms, food co-ops, restaurants, and more. You can search by city, state, or zip code.
• Organic Consumers Association. Organic Consumers Association is a non-profit organization that focuses on issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children’s health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability and other key topics. Their website offers a “Get Local!” feature that helps you find local farms, businesses, local news, and events in the US and Canada.
• Local Harvest. Local Harvest has a comprehensive directory of CSA farms, co-ops, farmers markets, etc. The site allows you to search for sustainability grown food in your area.

We have been members of several CSAs over the years. We have loved the variety and value it offers our family. You can too. It’s not too late to join a local CSA and support local, sustainable agriculture. If you already belong to a CSA, we love to hear about your experience. Visit us on our website, Little Family Adventure, and share your story.

Want more green living and healthy living tips? Join our mailing list below. 

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Craving a donut but want better ingredients? These delicious donut recipes include only natural ingredients making them a slightly better for you treat. You will even find gluten-free donut, vegan donut, and paleo donut recipes.

Who doesn’t love a fresh, warm homemade donut? Making them at home is a great way to be sure they use good ingredients that you can trust.

You won’t find artificial dyes, artificial flavors, or artificial sweeteners in these donuts. Even without all of those things, these donuts are delicious, maybe even more so.

These recipes range from the simple glazed donut to ones that are filled with bourbon cherry filling. They are all delicious and you will even find gluten-free donuts, vegan donuts, and paleo donuts on the list.

With all of these recipes, there is sure to be a homemade donut for everyone.

Natural Donut Recipes

• Lemon Glazed Donuts
• Cinnamon Sugar Donuts *Gluten-Free
• Banana Donuts with Chocolate Icing

• Blueberry Lemon Glazed Donuts
• Strawberry Donuts
• Sticky Orange Olive Oil Donuts *Vegan-Friendly

• Raspberry Donuts *Vegan-Friendly
• Easy Beignets
• Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts

• Baked Apple Cider Donuts *Vegan-Friendly
• Glazed Chocolate Donuts with Raw Strawberry Sprinkles
• Baked S’mores Donuts

• Blood Orange Cream Cheese Filled Donuts
• Einkorn Mini Chocolate Donuts *Vegan-Friendly
• Italian Ricotta, Raisin, and Chocolate Donuts

• Original Glazed Donuts (Krispy Kreme Copycat)
• Cardamon and Blueberry Glazed Donuts
• Matcha Banana Donuts with Matcha Lemon Glaze * Gluten-free and Vegan-Friendly

• Bourbon Cherry Filled Donuts
• Maple Apple Donuts
• Chocolate Pumpkin Donuts *Paleo-Friendly

The hardest part of making these donuts is picking which recipe to start with. They all look amazing and are perfect for a nice breakfast or tasty treat.

With all these delicious donut recipes you will want to save some money on your groceries. Check out Organic Food on a Budget to help save money on the ingredients you need.

Looking for vegan Instant Pot recipes? These delicious vegan-friendly recipes are sure to make even your non-vegan friends happy. 

Reducing our use of animal products can be good for the environment and our health. Even if you aren’t a vegan eating occasional vegan and vegetarian meals can help.

Sometimes vegan recipes can seem boring but these vegan Instant Pot recipes are anything but boring. They are also a bit easier to make because they use an Instant Pot.

Instant Pots are a great way to cook. They are often quicker and easier than traditional cooking methods. For many foods, they can also create a more delicious end product.

Often Instant Pot meals are meat-heavy because Instant Pots do such a good job cooking meat. However, Instant Pots can be used for a number of things including great vegan and vegetarian recipes.

Whether you are a full-time vegan or just want to eat some meatless meals, maybe follow Meatless Monday, these recipes will help.

Vegan Instant Pot Recipes

• Mac & Cheese
• Brazillian Black Beans
• Lemongrass Quinoa

• Saag Aloo
• Simple Farro
• No-Soak Pinto Beans

• Curry with Potato & Aubergine
• Cabbage Leek Soup
• Vegetable Stock

• Gobi Masala- Cauliflower in Indian Spices
• Steel Cut Oats with Apple Pie Topping
• Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Bites

• Curried Split Pea Soup
• Red Cabbage and Apple
• Golden Lentil and Spinach Soup

• BBQ Meatballs
• Jollof Rice
• Steel Cut Oats

• Mashed Potatoes with Fried Onions and Bacon
• Tuscan White Bean Kale Soup
• Lentil and Bean Chili

• Sweet Potato, Chickpea, and Red Lentil Soup
• Thai Coconut Lentil Chickpea Curry
• Sweet Potatoes

• Risotto with Peas and Artichokes
• Tomato Soup
• Chili 

• Spicy White Bean and Chard Stew
• Butternut Squash Apple Ginger Soup
• Maple Oats

• Mexican Quinoa Bowl
• Hearty Vegetable and Brown Rice Soup
• Jackfruit with Potato Curry

• Pasta Puttanesca
• Cauliflower Mushroom Risotto
• Chili Lime Black Beans

• Refried Beans
• Minestrone Soup
• Coconut Milk Yogurt

Don’t forget to check out our roundup of meatless Instant Pot recipes. They are also delicious! 

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Buying local helps your community and the environment in so many ways. Every little bit helps.

(Originally posted on March 28, 2013)

As a well-known produce fanatic, I received several messages this morning about the grand opening of Sprouts Market. I do plan on checking out what they have to offer, but I’m less than ecstatic for a multitude of reasons.

I had a chance to talk with a few of Sprout’s opening team members. I asked where their produce came from and was told “a warehouse is in Dallas” before that it comes from California. While cheap prices and great deals are something most people get excited about, I personally, prefer to buy local for many reasons.

The Importance of Buying Local

First of all Norman lost an amazing local grocer, Native Roots Market, that provided a wonderful variety of local and seasonal produce. As they opened a new store in the Deep Deuce area of downtown Oklahoma City they made the decision to close their store in Norman when confronted with the increased competition by Natural Grocers and Sprouts Market.

Buying locally grown food is important for so many reasons. The average piece of produce travels 5,000 miles to get to your supermarket. Choosing food that has traveled fewer miles (and therefore used less fuel) is good for the environment.

The Harvard Medical School Center for Health and the Global Environment notes that food transported long distances is not likely to be as nutritious as food grown and consumed locally.

Eating food that was grown organically and without harmful pesticides does your body good. Plus, buying directly from your local farmers ensures that they’ll stay in business for years to come.

When you buy direct, your dollars stay within your community and strengthen the local economy. More than 90¢ of every dollar you spend goes to the farmer. This is important because as mergers in the food industry have increased, the portion of your food dollar paid to farmers has decreased. Vegetable farmers earn only 21¢ of your dollar; the other 79¢ goes to pay for marketing, distribution, and other costs.

7 Ways Eat More Local Food

1. Shop weekly at your local farmers market
2. Join a CSA or a Co-op
3. Buy from local grocers that stock local food
4. Support restaurants and grocers that buy locally produced food
5. Preserve food from the season by freezing or canning to eat later in the year
6. Grow your own food!
7. Visit local farms

I recently joined the Oklahoma Food Co-op. I’m much more excited about all the local, fresh meat, and vegetables that are offered at very reasonable prices. I love the fact that I’m supporting my community by buying local and receiving organic, fresh food. It’s an amazing thing to know where your food comes from, who are growing and raising it and how.

Want more tips about eating locally? Join our mailing list below. 

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Need to drink more water? Try these infused water recipes to help make your water taste amazing!

Drinking enough water has been shown to help prevent all kinds of health problems, yet most of us still aren’t drinking enough. Infused water can help encourage us to drink more by making our water taste amazing.

Benefits of Drinking Water

• Reduces risk of osteoporosis.
• It boosts metabolism.
• Helps prevent kidney stones.
• Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
• May reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
• Can reduce fatigue and increase energy.

How to Increase Water Intake

• Keep it with you. Using a water bottle that you can easily take with you can help remind you to keep drinking.
• Drink a glass before each meal and snack. This habit can help remind you to drink water and quickly get you to your necessary intake level.
• Drink a glass first thing in the morning. Many benefits have been shown for drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning, including increasing your metabolism.
• Skip the soda. Drinking soda makes us less likely to drink the amount of water we need and can be very harmful to our health.
• Eat more produce. Fresh produce contains a lot of water and can help you get all the water you need.
• Use an app. There are a lot of great apps out there that remind you to drink water. Daily Water is one good option.
• And of course, infused water can also help encourage you to drink more water. The recipes below are some great ones to try but you can also create your own flavors.

Infused Water Recipes

• Strawberry and Basil
• Citrus Fruit
• Homemade Vitamin Water

• Orange Basil
• Cucumber, Lemon, and Lime
• Pineapple Mint

• Rainbow Water
• Lemon, Cucumber, and Cilantro
• Strawberry Lemon

• Kiwi and Mint
• Summer Berry Fruit
• Strawberry, Cucumber, and Mint

• Strawberry, Lime, and Mint
• Cucumber Mint
• Basil, Strawberry, and Watermelon

More Infused Water Resources

Love spaghetti and meatballs but want a healthier version? This recipe for spaghetti squash and meatballs is quick and easy and also delicious. 

Spaghetti is a staple in most households. It’s easy and fast, which is especially important on those busy nights when family activities outweigh cooking time. Most importantly it’s kid-friendly.

For years I used whole grain pasta and store-bought sauce. Last year when my family gave up grains and processed convenience food our weekly spaghetti dinner was one of the hardest to give up. After a few months of tweaking our diet and learning to eat new things, I revisited our old favorite.

I now make my own sauce and use spaghetti squash instead of traditional noodles. Making spaghetti squash is just as easy as boiling noodles but adds more veggies and nutrition to your meal.

This whole process does take a bit more time, but you can cut it drastically if you make the sauce ahead of time in a large batch and refrigerate or freeze it in jars perfectly portioned for your needs.

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

Print

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Ghee or clarified butter
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 large green bell pepper chopped
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2/3 cup chicken or beef stock
• 56 ounces diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• garnish with fresh basil

Instructions

1. Melt ghee over medium-low heat.

2. Add your chopped onions and garlic, saute a few minutes.

3. Add diced peppers and Italian seasoning. Cook until the onions are clear and soft.

4. Increase heat to medium-high and add tomato paste and vinegar, whisk until well combined.

5. Slowly add broth, whisking until combined.

6. Add the tomatoes and let simmer for up to 2 hours. 

7. Add salt and pepper and garnish with fresh basil.

Print

Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• 1/2 large green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 pound grass-fed beef
• 1/2 cup parsley fresh
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 spaghetti squash

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Add your onion, bell pepper, and garlic to food processor and pulse until diced.

3. Add meat, vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and parsley. Give a couple of quick pulses to combine.

4. In a bowl combine water, cream of tartar, and baking soda. When it stops fizzing add to meat mixture. 

5. Roll meat into balls. 

6. Place on baking sheet and cook for about 15 minutes. 

7. Add meatballs to spaghetti sauce and keep warm.

8. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

9. Cut spaghetti squash in half and place face down on a baking sheet.

10. Bake for 30 minutes

11. Let cool for a few minutes, scoop seeds out and use a fork to pull the squash from the edges.

12. Serve with sauce and meatballs. 

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Eating organic food doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. These are great tips for eating healthy food on a budget. 

Eating organic food is better for us and the planet. Organic food is grown without harmful pesticides and usually is better for the environment. Some studies have shown some organic food to have higher nutritional value as well.

Cost is often what stands in people’s way when they want to eat more organic food. While organic food doesn’t always cost more it often does. While the increased cost may be worth it not everyone is in a place where they can add the added cost to their budget.

As organic food has become more popular the cost is down and there are more ways to save. Now more people can afford to add organic food into their budget.

How to Eat Organic Food on a Budget

• Eat at home more often. This will help you save overall because eating out can be very expensive. This is also better for your health. One thing that can help you eat at home more often is meal planning. Try this free guide to meal planning or if you’d rather have it done for you, check out Eat At Home meal plans. They even have a no flour/no sugar plan.
• Buy grains in bulk. Stores like Native Roots Market, Whole Foods, and Sprouts have a great selection of bulk foods.
• Eat less meat. Meat can be very expensive and most of us eat too much of it. You don’t have to go vegetarian just try adding more meatless meals to your diet. One great way to do this is, Meatless Monday.
• Learn what is most import to buy organically. Check out the Dirty Dozen to find what produce is most important to buy organically.
• Eat seasonally. Produce is cheaper when it’s in-season so learn to eat in-season produce. Frozen fruits and veggies are a good choice when the food is out of season in your area.
• Be careful not to waste food. American’s waste around 27 percent of the food available for consumption. Making sure you aren’t throwing away food will help you save. Meal planning can also help reduce food waste.
• Grow your own food. You don’t have to have farmland to grow your own food. Even a few pots with some favorite produce can help you save.
• Check out local CSA’s, farmer’s markets and co-ops. You can often get better prices by going straight to the source.
• Buy less packaged food. Packaged food almost always costs more than making it yourself. This also helps cut down on waste.
• Use coupons. There are a fair number of coupons out there for organic food. Check out Saving with Organic Coupons for more.
• Use apps to save money. There are some great apps that you can submit your receipt to and earn cash back. It’s a great way to save a little extra money.
• Shop Online. Use online services like Thrive Market and Amazon Prime Pantry to find good deals on organic food.

Following these tips can help you buy more organic food without breaking your budget. Do you have any tips to share on saving on organic food? If so please share them in the comments below.

Looking for a paleo-friendly Super Bowl snack? These BBQ Little Smokies are perfect and delicious!

While I do most of my shopping at local grocers or through the Oklahoma Food Coop, a few days ago I paid a visit to the Whole Foods in Oklahoma City. It’s definitely one of my favorite grocery destinations but it’s at least a half hour away.

My favorite thing to stock up on is Tessemae’s. This company is simply amazing. It’s a family business that makes delicious dressings, sauces, and marinades with whole, all-natural ingredients. No sugar, dairy, gluten or anything you can’t pronounce. They’re paleo and vegan-friendly.

After grabbing a few bottles of Tessemae’s, I meandered back to the meat department to pick up a few items. I saw a package of uncured cocktail franks and a lightbulb went off. I have seen the BBQ little smokies at countless parties but never thought about making a cleaner version. Until now that is, just in time for Super Bowl Sunday.

BBQ Little Smokies

Ingredients

• 2 packages paleo-friendly uncured cocktail franks or hot dogs cut up into small pieces
• 1 bottles Tessemae’s Matty’s BBQ sauce

Directions

1. Add cocktail franks and BBQ sauce to pot or crockpot.
2. Cook until hot and keep warm.

This super simple recipe will be a big hit both with the paleo football fans at the party and those who just want good snacks. You can serve them in a crockpot or add toothpicks and place them on a platter.

Don’t forget to keep your Super Bowl party eco-friendly. We have lots of tips for throwing an eco-friendly football party. We also have lots of other great recipes for you to try!

What are your favorite Super Bowl snacks? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below. 

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