Food Product of the Week

Beans are an essential staple in my household. My two-year-old daughter chooses not to eat meat and thankfully devours every sort of bean. I try my best to use dried beans and lentils. They work great for soups, but canned beans are fast and convenient.

The problem with eating from cans is that they tend to be loaded with sodium. I recently learned that practically all cans contain BPA. Organic Grace is a helpful website dedicated to listing all companies that put forth the effort of having non-BPA cans.

Eden Organic is one company that produces non-BPA cans. They do not add any additional sodium to the product. I have found Eden Organic products at Metro Mart Pick 'n Save, Wholefoods, Beans & Barley and Outpost. They offer a wide variety of beans and other products as well.

Add your beans in your scrambled eggs. Eat it with spaghetti pasta for some added protein. Combine pinto and black beans together, season with some Lawry's seasoning and garlic salt and eat with a side of rice, avocado and tomatoes. Yay for beans!!

Lunch Menu

With picky toddlers, every mom and dad are more than willing to accept suggestions. Today's lunch consisted of Alphabet pasta with tomato sauce along with a side of cubed avocado and peaches. Yummies!

Prep time is 15 minutes. For the pasta I use Eden Organic Vegetable Alphabets. I find this at the Metro Mart Pick 'n Save. After the pasta is boiled and strained, I return it to the stove top and add tomato paste. I use tomato paste rather than a sauce because the sodium is low (15 mg). The leftover paste can be stored in the freezer and used at another time. This is a great alternative to the canned pasta products.

Enjoy!

This Week's Agenda July 6-11

Milwaukee summers are the best. It is why many residents, such as myself, drudge through the winter in order to take full advantage of the outdoor weather seasons.

As a mother, my days consist of activities to busy and entertain my daughter. The following is a list of activities I will try to partake in.

July 6 - Skyline Concert Series begin at 5:30-8 . If Tuesdays aren't your days, there is a listing of other parks and businesses that will be hosting free music all summer long.

July 7 - Swimming. Read my upcoming post on great local beaches, ponds and pools.

July 8 - Bayshore Town Center hosts free concerts every Thursday at noon as well as at 6pm. Bring swimsuits for the children and pack a picnic!

July 9 - Bastille Days! This free Milwaukee festival will be going on from July 8 - 11. Saturday is Kids and Family day, but I like to go on Friday during the day. Not as busy.

July 10 - Another visit to Bastille days, but Saturdays are Market days. I live closest to the East Side Green Market at the Beans & Barley parking lot.

July 11 - Sunday is family day and there will be much to do: birthday party to attend as well as the championship game for the World Cup.