Whats all the Fuss about Natural and Organic?

    What’s all the fuss about Natural & Organic?

    By: Jacqueline Gomes, RDN, MBA

    As trends push us towards a more simplistic way of eating, it’s no surprise that there are more natural & organic products now more than ever.

    So what is it? Let’s take a deeper look…

    Organically grown produce for example, is grown and packed without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or irradiation and is certified by a USDA accredited third-party certifying organization.

    Many factors influence the decision to choose organic. For some it’s the taste and for other it’s the concern around potential consequences of fertilizers or pesticides.

     Whether you decide to go Organic or not, remember that choosing the freshest foods and high-quality nutrition have the biggest impact on your general health.

    As for the term “natural”; the FDA has not established a formal definition for the term this term. However, the agency has not objected to the use of the term on food labels provided it is used in a manner that is truthful and not misleading.

    Natural foods typically are minimally processed and free from added colors, artificial ingredients, preservatives or sweeteners and do not contain high fructose corn syrup.

    Simple examples include lean meats, seafood, produce, whole grains like brown rice, barley, quinoa and oats just to name a few!

    Today let’s dive into these delicious nutty-pumpkin waffles containing a variety of natural and organic ingredients.

    Nutty pumpkin waffles

    Nutty-Pumpkin Waffles

    Prep: 5 minutes

    Cook: 4 minutes

    Makes: 8 Servings

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups Arrowhead Mills Organic Pancake + Waffle mix (any variety)
    • 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
    • 3 Tbsp Grade A Maple Syrup, plus more for drizzling on top
    • ½ cup Canned 100% Pumpkin Puree
    • 3 large Greenway Eggs
    • 2/3 cup Greenway Organic Milk
    • ½ cup chopped pecans

    Directions:

    1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix pumpkin spice, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, eggs and milk until thoroughly combined.
    2. Mix in Arrowhead mills waffle mix until combined.
    3. Heat waffle maker until hot. Spray with non-stick spray for each set of waffles.
    4. Pour 1/3 cup of batter into waffle maker (adjust as needed for your waffle maker).
    5. Cook until lightly browned. Set aside and keep warm (see tips).
    6. Continue until all batter is used.
    7. Top waffles with a sprinkle of chopped pecans and drizzle with maple syrup.

    Tips:

    • Heat oven to 225 degrees. As waffles are cooked place them onto the oven rack in a single layer until read to enjoy.
    • If batter is overly thick, add in 2 tbsp of milk to thin.
    • Any left-over Waffles may be frozen.

    Recipe adapted from Arrowmills.

    Photo by: Jacqueline Gomes, RDN, MBA