Now I have a new food you need to pay attention to and it’s called Quinoa (keen-wa). This grain like food comes from South America and is a killer source of protein. Few weeks ago I had some blood work done and it reported back that I have a really high level of iron. I was instructed to change my diet (which is high in red meat) unless I wanted to donate blood every few weeks. So, I found quinoa and I’ve started incorporating it into my meals and use it on a daily basis now. Yes, I do still eat red meat, however this grain like root is easier to cook than red meat, is loaded with protein and tastes great with whatever you pair it with (for the most part, just don’t eat it with cake).

I personally recommend pairing it with a soup of some sort, I just use some ofCampbell’s Select Soups or recommend adding it with your favorite pasta sauce (I suggest vodka sauce).

Recently I ventured out to find a solution to this problem. My searching provided two results:

Applegate Farms Organic Hot Dogs vs. Smart Dogs Vegetable Hot Dogs

Now, let’s compare.

Smart Dogs:

As I started out on my adventure to find a hot dog alternative, I kept an extremely open mind (which I’m still not sure if I regret or not). However, I came across Smart Dogs. Yes, they are 100% vegetable hot dogs. Not organic, nothing special. Just made out of the fiber of various vegetables.

I still remember how excited I was to try them. Got them in the microwave, prepared my buns and all the awesome condiments I usually put on them (diced spear pickles, tomatoes, celery salt, freshly shredded cheddar cheese, dijon mustard, yellow mustard and occasionally fresh jalapeños with NO SEEDS). Soon as it was all ready to go, I took a bite, paused, then swallowed. The next bite ended up in the trashcan with the rest of  the vegetable hot dogs.

It was a poor experience. Totally let me down. They tasted more like a sweet piece of broccoli. It was rough. However, a week later I went out and I found another option – Applegate Farms.

Applegate Farms:

You get the picture. Same routine as before. Except these dogs tasted absolutely amazing (aka just like a normal hot dog) except that these dogs

• were USDA Certified Organic
• were made out of grass fed cows
• NO PRESERVATIVES!
• gluten free

I mean, it really doesn’t get much better than that for meat. So I throw my hat in to Applegate Farms and their dedication to pure meats. Plus they have chicken and turkey dogs as well for those of you that are holding off from so much beef.

Go, eat your meat. Feel shame no longer.

OOBA Hibiscus drinks are definitely a weird sensation at first. Depending on the flavor, they taste an awful lot like a coke, but fortunately these are loaded up with some awesome benefits for you:

• 100% daily recommended Vitamin C value
• High antioxidant content
• Hibiscus extract lowers blood pressure
• Hibiscus extra helps reduce hypertension

Okay, now personally my favorite flavor is the straight Hibiscus extract. It has a really quirky flavor to it at first, but it definitely leaves you wanting to drink more. The others are all very good as well. Once again I think they taste more like a coke, vanilla coke, coke/sprite (all depending on the one you buy).

Now the only downside to these drinks is their price…unfortunately for the 16 oz. bottles they run about $2.50. So I definitely try to treat these as a reward for a long hard week or if I’m cooking dinner for a girl I enjoy pulling these out. They keep things fun and interesting. Plus for all you guys out there, it definitely is a good conversation point and it shows the girl you’re with that your health conscious.

Remain thirsty my friends, for there is nothing more refreshing then the nectar of the Hibiscus. For those of you entrepreneurial types, I highly recommend not going out and buying 3 hibiscus plants in hopes of harvesting their nectar for drinks, you’ll end up out of pocket $40 and with several destroyed plants.

I bought two of these drinks: Alternative Energy Strawberry Guava and Urban Detox Prickly Pear. Not gonna lie, these drinks were a bit of a disappointment at first. However they do have that uncanny ability to keep you wanting more and drinking them. I personally recommend going with the Prickly Pear flavor for something off the wall. Intriguing is the best way to describe it.

It’s one of those products that you feel more justified buying it when you read about it on their own website. So go to the website! Check it out. Not exactly an “organic” product, but definitely a good alternative to Gatorade.

So tonight a new choice of beverage was offered. Perhaps it’s right for some of yall that need a drink replacement for your typical “sports” drinks. Until next time, keep exploring.

As we all know, mayonnaise isn’t exactly the healthiest condiment to put on your burger (mustard actually is), but what are we supposed to do? Well, the other day while I was shopping at Sprouts, I decided to venture out and to try Vegenaise.

Yes. A vegetable based mayonnaise. With all of the following ingredients:

Canola Oil, Filtered Water, Apple Cider Vinegar, Brown Rice Syrup, Soy Protein, Sea Salt, Lemon Juice, and Mustard Flour.

And guess what…

IT FREAKING TASTED AMAZING!

Just like regular mayonnaise, you can’t even tell the difference. And trust me, I’m not biased. I’ve had multiple friends over to try out my famous grilled panini’s while being sure to use the veggie mayo and not a single one has noticed. Even after telling them they still admit to not being able to taste the difference.

In my opinion, that’s the epitome of health food. The health food substitute that can go undetected and still taste great earns a solid 5 stars from me every time.

However, I do recommend only buying the one with the blue cap.

One day they ran out of it at Sprouts and I decided to try the yellow cap one (reduced fat).

Poor decision. It was the vinegar based mayo. The taste was incredibly foul. Despite me being known for trying foods I don’t like until I love them (because I would hate to be known as a picky eater), I simply could not stomach it.

So go forth. Consume mayonnaise (Vegenaise) to your big American heart’s desire. Just be sure to keep an eye out for foods that you may want to venture out and try, you never know when something will blow your socks off. Also, don’t be a picky eater (you’re a total buzzkill to us adventurous types).

The mouth, primarily known for its awesome crushing ability, is also known for its remarkable absorption capabilities. With thousands of capillaries resting just below a thin wall of cells in your gums, it is relatively easy for your body to absorb a variety of substances. So what’s the deal with gum?

Gum comes in two basic varieties. Those with sugar, and those without sugar. A majority of U.S. adults chew sugar free gum. So how do you get the flavoring? A chemical called aspartame (APM) is the sweet culprit. You may think you’re not familiar with aspartame, but on a daily basis you’re consuming this substance through products such as table sweeteners (ever heard of Equal?), coffee, gelatin desserts, and many other seemingly harmless products. This artificial sweetener is suspected to lead to the following:

• Birth Defects
• Brain Cancer
• Diabetes
• Emotional Disorders
• Epilepsy/Seizures

So what are we college student supposed to do?

The answer comes in a little container called Spry. This gum is a little gem I found the other day shopping at my local Sprouts.

Positives

• Sugar free (without artificial sweetener)
• Contains xylitol which is actually healthy for your teeth
• Only costs .09 cents per piece (figured at $9.45 for a tub of 100 pieces – 5 gum was .08 cents at $1.25 for 15 pieces)

Negatives (yes, unfortunately)

• I always have to consume 2 pieces to make the flavor last for more than 5 minutes, after that, it’s gone.
• Constantly out of supply in grocery stores (maybe this is a positive? lots of people are purchasing it)

So once again I leave you with another option to add to your vast organic arsenal in hopes that you too can turn around your and your friends’ health.