Tag Archives: #cleanfood

Why Baking from “Scratch” is Key this Holiday Season

Posted on by

I know that it seems like our weekends are filled with holiday parties with friends, family, or at work.  On top of that there is shopping to do, possible holiday travel to plan, and the list goes on and on.  But, inevitably, there will be some cooking or baking that you need to do either as a guest or a host, and I know with limited time it seems like purchasing pre-made or ready to be made (i.e. pre-made mixes) are the winners choice, but are they really?

Just some food for thought (pun totally intended):

Let’s use a box of yellow cake mix as an example, if you were to purchase a $3.45 box of cake mix (that makes one serving and you still need to purchase eggs and oil to make the cake mix into a cake) you get ingredients of: wheat starch, salt, dextrose, Polyglycerols Esters of Fatty Acids, partially hydrogenated soybean oils, maltodextrin, cellulose, artificial flavors, xanthan gum…..and the list goes on.

Standard cake mix

Standard cake mix

If we were to purchase our own flour ($2.46), baking powder ($1.89), and sugar ($2.35) our dry goods would cost a total of:  $6.70.  The ingredients you get for flour: enriched unbleached flour, baking soda: sodium bicarbonate and corn starch, sugar: pure sugar cane.

The winner for price?  It seems worth it to buy everything separately….a little more up front, but you can make more cakes (or whatever you choose to do with those extra dry goods). If we used all our dry product, we have at least 4 cakes worth of dry goods, so its about $1.68/cake. But the real winning point for me? The ingredients! When you bake at home, you know what you are putting into your cake, it may not be the fluffiest or most delicious cake anyone has ever had (on the other hand, it totally might be!) but you know that you made it yourself, which people tend to really appreciate, and you know that the ingredients you used were clean and with as few fillers as possible.

cake from scratch

cake from scratch- all organic!

The winner for time?  Per the directions on a yellow cake mix box, it will take 3 minutes of prep time and 28 minutes (approx) of baking time. For a classic yellow cake from scratch, it will take you 15 minutes of prep time and 25 minutes to bake. It’s basically a wash!

Think about it: we all are trying to be healthier, economically savvy, and all in the limited amount of time we have to spare, so why not make something from scratch that you can feel good about eating yourself, feeding your children, and others because you know what went into it. Plus, it takes no more time than baking from a box. I will tell you, I would rather feast on an ugly looking cake made with clean products rather than one filled with preservatives and other man-made things ANY day!

Yours in Good Health

B

Eat Pure, Feel Pure: Purely Elizabeth

Posted on by

I’ve had a rough week, and when I have a rough week, I tend to look at myself and my life, do my best to fix the source of the problem, or remove it from my life altogether.  I tend to do my best thinking when I am running, hiking, or walking the dogs, times when I can be alone with my thoughts and in nature without anything else to enter my brain. And while some people eat “comfort” foods, go shopping, do something crazy with their appearance,  once I get out of my brain, I re-focus on being healthy.  So, I go to my favorite health food store, stock up on organic foods, and try a new product to introduce into my life. This recent bout of stress brought a new product and a new company into my life that I wanted to share with you all: Purely Elizabeth.

What is Purely Elizabeth?

It is a company that was started by a holistic nutrition counselor, who has always been a healthy eater, but wanted to learn how to make the same baked good that she enjoyed as a child made out of pure, organic, and nutritional ingredients. The products are filled with alternative grains and super foods, and they are free of dairy, sugar, wheat, and gluten, plus they are minimally processed.

I picked up the Pumpkin Fig granola, which is made with organic quinoa (added protein), amaranth (high in b vitamins and amino acids), chia seeds (omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and antioxidants), and coconut oil (with medium chain fatty acids for fast energy along with antiviral and antimicrobial properties). The oats used are organic, the granola and all of the products are processed the least amount possible, and it is delicious!

Purely Elizabeth is Purely delicious and nutritious!

Purely Elizabeth is Purely delicious and nutritious!

The company bases all products off of the premise that there is a direct connection between what you eat and how you feel. Your body responds positively to the healthy food you put in it to fuel it, which is totally true. You feel better when you eat healthier, drink plenty of fresh water, and exercise.  For one, I’m pretty excited that my recent reinvigoration and refocus on my stress-free life and health has brought me to Purely Elizabeth! Plus, I loved the Pumpkin Fig so much I have picked up some of the other granola flavors (Blueberry Hemp, which I can’t wait to try) and I have also ordered some of their oatmeal flavors!

Check out the website to see what local stores sell their products, and learn more about this amazing company that gives back to the community to teach about nutrition and healthy lifestyles, and supports non-profits that support the education of nutrition! So by purchasing Purely Elizabeth, you’re doing something good for your body AND for society.

Yours in Good Health

B