Amaranth is commonly referred to as a grain, but it is actually a tiny seed with big benefits. It is a great source of calcium, iron, protein, magnesium, zinc, and amino acids. Just 1/4 cup (uncooked) amaranth contains 7 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 21% of the RDA for iron.

Amaranth can be cooked as a hot cereal, ground into (or purchased as) flour for gluten-free baking, or even popped like popcorn!

I love popped amaranth tossed with salads, over hot cereal, added to baked goods, or in homemade granola bars.

Popping amaranth has a bit of a learning curve. It took me several tries before I found a method that works for me. It may take some experimentation for you as well but, to get you started, here is my method*:

Getting ready to go on vacation is never really easy. Packing always takes significantly longer than I ever imagine that it will. For our latest adventure, we traveled by airplane (yes, another trip right after our California RV adventure!) and that makes all of the preparing and packing and whatnot just that much harder. I can never find decent food in an airport for myself (let alone something that my kids will like and that I'll feel good giving to them). This time, I wanted to be prepared instead of starving a few hours into our flight!

Breakfast:

Our flight was at 10am, so we had a chance to have breakfast before boarding. My husband and I had breakfast at home but, since we had to get the kids up and ready early, I made a portable breakfast for them. Super pancakes (in the mix: whole wheat and all-purpose flour mix, hemp seeds, almond milk, banana, canola oil, vanilla, baking powder) and fresh blueberries. Because these pancakes are sweet from the banana, the kids love them without any toppings and that makes them extra portable and great for in-car breakfasts.

Lunch:

Instead of purchasing an airline meal (that may or may not be something that we can eat), I packed a snack bag for each of us. Our bags contained sunflower seed butter and jelly sandwiches (I didn't want to break any "no peanut" rules that we may have encountered so I avoided peanut butter), edamame (soy beans), snack bars (Clif ZBars, Nu Go bars, etc.), Snapea Crisps, sliced apples, and Snackimals cookies.

More on our latest excursion soon!

What kind of foods do you like to bring with you when you travel? Any grab-and-go favorites?

Over the past couple of weeks I have been on a road trip in an RV through all kinds of places in my home state of California. We've been to the desert and to the beach. In hot places (surprisingly the coast!) and cold (nighttime near Mono Lake). We've soaked in mineral springs, climbed sand dunes, toured a ghost town, visited family, built with Legos, boarded Air Force One, and high-fived Mickey Mouse. My kids are wiped out but we're all having a great adventure.

A few highlights:

Along Hwy 395 in the Eastern Sierra:

I went for a run here one morning- that is Mt. Whitney in the background (the highest mountain in the contiguous US):

My little gardeners:

Sand dunes in Death Valley:

Badwater Basin salt flats (it looks like snow, but it is salt!):

 

 

Desert sunset:

Crazy hot spring resort just south of Death Valley. This place had private mineral baths- so neat!

Schoolhouse at the Calico ghost town:

Carlsbad State Beach:

 

Fun!

 

At the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library (this place made me cry- very moving!):

"Let's squish our faces together!":

Vacation is awesome. Not only do I temporarily escape the must-do routine of daily life, but I find myself repeatedly shocked out of the numbness of normal. A family of big horn sheep on the side of the road. Laying in bed and having a conversation with a toddler in a moonlit RV. A crazy hot spring resort in the middle of the desert. All things unusual. All things special. All things with lasting impact beyond their tangible contact.

Vacation provides opportunities for us to learn more about each other too. Such as when we heard a song on the radio that my husband dislikes so much that it almost makes him mad. Normally we don't listen to the radio together. Especially the one odd (and crummy) station that we found when we were in the middle of the desert. In the context of our routine, we might not have known things like this about each other. Vacation affords room to make exceptions. To bedtimes. To having dessert before dinner. We try new foods that aren't a part of our usual spread. Some may be added to the rotation at home, some are "I-have-to-try-____-while-I'm-in-_____" foods.

I was born in Southern California and lived there until I was 8 1/2. I have mentioned before my love affair with all of the magical things that grow in the Southern California climate. I so love the warm salty air, avocado and citrus groves, brightly colored flowers, and jacaranda trees. I even saw cherimoyas at a roadside produce stand, swoon!

Even though our road trip schedule has been crazy (think 5 consecutive theme park days!), I feel decompressed. I'm tired but content. I'm unwound. My left brain has relaxed enough to allow my stress-averse creative side to emerge from hibernation. I love that I've had moments that call for the notebook that I carry around in my bag or even my iPhone note app because I simply must capture a passing thought before it gets away. I am pleasantly surprised to learn this about myself: inspiration to be creative or to write doesn't come from quiet. It comes when my mind is un-numb. Thank you vacation for this!

Since I began down my vegetarian path over 15 years ago, I have heard my share of people's comments on vegetarians and our "weird" foods. People say things like, "the vegetarian diet is an interesting one!" (usually while rolling their eyes). While it is true that health-conscious people have a wide assortment of foods that we include in our diets, I don't consider "vegetarian food" to be mysterious or even all that different from any other kind of food.