When my wife contributed some money to a national charity recently, she received a free subscription to one of a variety of magazines. She chose Food and Wine.

For the last few months, I’ve enjoyed reading the articles publicizing a wide variety of culinary creations, many produced with organic or all-natural ingredients. So, I was somewhat taken aback last month when I flipped open the magazine and came to an article entitled “Growing a $30 million egg.” According to the article, a group of investors, scientists and chefs have been working furiously in the laboratory to combine a bit of this, and a pinch of that to create something that looks and tastes like an egg. Personally, I don’t care if investors want to pump $50 or $100 million into this venture. And, it doesn’t matter to me if the concoction includes artichoke hearts and eye of newt.

Just don’t call it an egg.

In an era when more and more of us are gravitating toward natural food, why do we allow totally un-natural foods to masquerade as their actual counterparts? Milk comes from cows and goats, not soybeans and almonds. Hamburgers are made with beef or bison, not tofu. And eggs come from chickens.

I’m all for variety and new products. But I’m also all for truth in labeling. Honestly.

If you’re like me, winter is always a difficult workout time. Cold, gray days are not only a bit depressing, but the extra clothing I need to be outside in the chilled air makes me feel like the Michelin Man. But I’m determined to keep my resolve strong and not give in to the call of my toasty bed. Care to join me? Here are a few ideas on how to ease winter workout blahs.

Buddy Up – Winter is the perfect time to ask a friend to join you when you workout. Having a pal around can motivate you in several ways. First, it gives you accountability. You’re more likely to show up because you won’t want to leave your friend hanging. Second, talking with a friend automatically elevates your mood. You’ll be in better spirits before, during and after your workout. And lastly, working out with a friend gives you a challenge. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition. Use it increase your motivation during the bleak winter months.

Mix It Up – Trying something new is always a good idea. But especially if you’ve been doing the same workout for a while, you might benefit from mixing things up a bit. Add in Pilates or yoga if you’re a runner. Or switch to racquetball if you’ve be into spinning. Changing things up will give you a new challenge. You’ll also meet new people, which can boost wintertime spirits.

Take It Up – Want to really look forward to winter? Find an outdoor activity you love that is only available during the cold months. Try skiing, snowboarding or ice skating. All these activities burn tons of calories, and are truly outdoor activities. Remember the fun you had as a kid sledding and skating? You can find that thrill again by taking up a fun outdoor winter activity.

Don’t Give Up – Realize that everyone goes through the winter blahs, and that you’re not alone. Be a bit flexible with your winter routine. Create alternate plans for bad weather days or days when you might oversleep. If you’re having a particularly difficult time working out, give yourself a reward for getting it done. The most important thing is to keep trying. When spring finally blooms, you’ll be glad you did.

Looking for something fast and delicious that your little one’s will love? Check out this delicious recipe from Cristen, The Naptime Reviewer! Here, she makes kid-friendly turkey pasta for five dollars featuring Wild Oats products!

Cristen is a mom of two who is always looking for healthy and affordable ways to feed her family. She has been excited about Wild Oats and what it means for her family.

“Let’s face it.  It’s not always easy to eat organic.  And frankly, it’s not always cheap.  Until now!  I’m so excited to announce that Wild Oats has partnered with Walmart to bring us budget-friendly, wholesome and organic products. You are now able to shop for household staples like pasta sauce, garlic powder, hot sauce and even olive oil at Walmart stores.  This is something to get excited about, folks.”

Check out her complete post and get the recipe!

With cold and flu season comes the inevitable craving for chicken soup, and with good reason: research has shown that chicken soup may indeed help boost the immune system and ward off upper respiratory infections. When made at home with plentiful vegetables, chicken soup also provides a nutritional boost to fortify the system.

Last week, I shared my favorite Easy Crispy Roast Chicken recipe; this week, let’s look at ways to use your leftover chicken carcass to make a delicious, fortifying feast. As always, a recipe is a template for experimentation, so feel free to mix up the veggies as it suits you, add ginger if you love the taste,  and adjust amounts as it suits your palate.

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken carcass
• 2 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth (optional)
• Enough water to completely cover the chicken
• 6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil (optional)
• 3 large leeks, cleaned thoroughly and sliced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• Approx. 1 ½ cups chopped green beans
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme, sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 3-4 cups kale and/or chard
• 1 whole yellow onion, peeled and sliced
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped, for garnish
• 1-2 limes, squeezed for juice
• 1 chili pepper, if you like it spicy
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

First up: Remove excess fat from your chicken carcass, then place it into a cast iron Dutch Oven or large soup pot. Add chicken stock and water until the chicken is completely covered.. Bring to a boil, and then reduce hit so the liquid is simmering. Let simmer for 60-90 minutes, uncovered.

While your broth simmers, prep your veggies and herbs. Take care to wash your leeks, kale, and chard thoroughly- leeks in particular hide dirt between layers, and grit is no good in soup. In a separate pot over low to medium heat, add the coconut oil, leeks and onions, and let cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat when cooked.

When your broth is ready, remove the carcass and let cool. Strain the broth to remove any skin/bones left over. Return the pot to the stove, over medium heat.  Add the cooked onion and leeks, along with your garlic, celery, carrots, green beans, herbs and bay leaves to the pot. Add lime juice. Cover the pot with a lid and let cook for 20-30 minutes.

Return to your now-cool carcass, and strip the meat from it, shredding it into delicious bite sized pieces. Set these aside.

Add your kale, chard and (optional) chili pepper to your broth, replace lid, and let simmer for another 10-15 minutes. When your time is, remove soup from heat. Now it’s decision time– do you love eating your veggies, or would you rather go straight-up broth and chicken? This will determine whether you strain your broth one more time to remove the veggies and herbs, or simply remove the chili pepper and bay leaves. Once your broth is as you like it, add the shredded chicken to the pot. Taste your masterpiece, then add salt and pepper if desired.

Garnish with parsley and serve!

Happy Mission Monday! Life can be hectic. Between raising a family, long days at work and what feels like an even longer commute there is just not enough time in the day to properly prepare for every meal. We have all been there. Luckily, using products like our Skillet dinners, making dinner can be cheap, easy and fast. What quick meal idea never fails you when you are in a time crunch? We hope you take a moment to answer and play along on Twitter or Facebook.

Life can be hectic. What quick meal idea never fails you?

If you’re playing along on Facebook, simply comment in our Mission Monday post before 11:59 p.m. ET tonight to be entered to win!

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Good luck! Full Sweepstakes rules and details can be found here Twitter and Facebook.