The October Unprocessed Vault: Day 28

Erin Coates, RD, LD, writes about the importance of staying healthy through the foods we eat at The Healthy Apron, sharing delicious recipes along with diet and fitness information. I’ve asked her to write about Natural and Artificial Flavors, those ubiquitous and vaguely-defined ingredients that seem to be in almost every processed food.

Pickling anything can involve a bit of a process, but don’t let that deter you, especially during October Unprocessed. To be sure, this is just the kind of process we should be investigating this month.

Your choices regarding food and sustainable living are not just for your own health or household, but they will be a part of G-d’s plan to save and restore the world.

We asked Rachel to interview Ally (and vice versa) about what inspires them to work with kids and food, and why they believe in the healing powers of kale.

This butternut squash and chickpea soup is completely unprocessed, seasonal, vegan, and super simple to make. It’s perfect for a chilly autumn afternoon; the soup will fill your house with a warm and spicy aroma.

Kids can enjoy Halloween without stuffing their faces or making it all about the candy. Their childhood won’t be ruined. They won’t turn all binge-y and weird and scarf every multicolored sugar nugget the minute they get the chance. Really. They won’t. That’s a myth.

The most surprising of The Salty Six was bread. One slice of bread or one bun can have anywhere from 170 to 400 mg of sodium!

When my friend Katie began her unprocessed journey almost a decade ago, she had no idea how integrated her food choices were with her well-being. She discovered that her dietary decisions are a reflection of the state of her body, heart, and soul. Read on for her story…

There isn’t a stronger parent trap at the grocery store than the one in the breakfast aisle. We began parenthood as two former kids raised by Tony the Tiger and Toucan Sam, and it was tough trying to navigate breakfast without a box.

In 2012 my wife and I decided to shake things up. We were both overly stressed, overworked, overweight, and over our urban existence. Our lifestyle and environment were sending us down a path of misery and discomfort and we needed to make some changes. I started by growing vegetables. We added beehives and a chicken coop and it was soon beginning to look a bit like a farm. Once we had a good handle on the veggies, eggs, and honey for our table, we then turned our attention to the meat in our diet.

Pumpkin and whole grain brown rice come together in this fall dessert, perfect for sharing with friends and family.

One of the easiest ways to start your day with a bang is downing a tall smoothie packed with nutrition. When you’re in a hurry in the morning, though, it can be daunting trying to get everything ready for your smoothie, so I started making Smoothie Jars to streamline the process.

Although there is a lot at stake, we need to be patient and loving with our kiddos as we haul them into a world of unprocessed foods. Here are a few things that I wish someone told me when I began the messy business of healthy parenthood… along with a recipe for Pumpkin Dip that I’ve served to toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, tweens, teenagers, and adults. In other words, this unprocessed recipe is loved by everyone!