Among Friends Archives

Woo Hoo!

It’s Day Seven of the Egg Series and it’s a fun one!

Having backyard hens is surprisingly pretty easy. But, what if you don’t have the space? What if you live in a neighborhood with an HOA that wouldn’t be thrilled with your new feathered friends? I grew up where the neighborhood made rules for maximum the number of dogs and cats a family could have (two of each), so I know this is a reality.

Where can you get fresh, pasture raised eggs?

We learned earlier this week that labeling is tricky in the grocery store and “Pasture Raised” isn’t a regulated term.

One of the best places to find eggs from chickens that spend much of their time moving around and feeding on grass is the farmers market. At the market ask the farmer’s about their hens so you can make the most informed egg choice. Likely, they will be proud of how well their hens are treated and the fabulous eggs they create.

Community Supported Agriculture groups or CSA’s are gaining tons of popularity. CSA’s are programs that connect farmers with consumers. They are often weekly deliveries of various farmer’s produce, meats, and eggs. Some are even customizable!

You can check out localharvest.org and eatwild.com to find CSA or Farmer’s Markets near you so you can get some local eggs and a lot more!

Speaking of getting more… Bloom’s having its first GIVEAWAY!

Among Friends, the natural cookie mix company I wrote about yesterday is sending me more cookie mixes to give away to a lucky Bloom fan!

Interested in these babies?

All the great flavors!

You should be.

To enter you have to do two simple things:

1. Hop onto Facebook and “Like” Among Friends, LLC’s page. They are a lot of fun to follow because they post lots of good information, like where you can find their growing brand, and they also post fun things that make you smile like this:

… And, I think I speak for the masses when I say I need more things in my newsfeed that make me smile.

And 2. Comment on this post below and tell me your favorite thing to cook with eggs!

I will announce a winner on Sunday, February 2 and you have ‘til midnight on February 1st to enter!

So, yesterday I wrote about the physical and taste differences of fresh eggs versus commercial and if you’re still not convinced that fresh is better, let’s talk about the health differences.

There is a lot of evidence out there that shows that eggs from hens that range in a pasture are much better for you. In fact in 2007 a popular homesteading magazine, Mother Earth News, did a study on flocks of chickens across the nation and found that fresh eggs are much better than conventional eggs.

Fresh eggs have 1/3 less cholesterol, ¼ less saturated fat, two times more omega-3’s, and 2/3 more vitamin A, three times more vitamin E and seven (… SEVEN!) times more beta carotene than confined eggs.

With all the excellent nutrients I have been getting this week with my egg themed meals, I decided that I deserved some chocolate chip cookies. Not to mention, when it’s as cold and snowy as it has been all week, it’s hard not to bake something.

For Christmas my dad put a cookie mix in my stocking from a company that one of his old colleagues is a part of. The company is called Among Friends and they produce baking mixes that are verified Non-GMO, Whole Grain and Gluten Free.

I had the pleasure of learning a little bit more about the company this afternoon.

The company was started by two girlfriends, Susie and Lizann, out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Their mission was simple: They wanted a good product to feed their children.

They love baking and creating memories with their children through baking. They wanted to create an experience for their children with the aromas of freshly baked cookies as they hopped off the school bus after a long day at school.

… But, they knew that mom’s are busy and have long days too.

So, they made their mixes easy and clean. Containing no starches, no fillers, no gums, and no white flour and requiring moms (… and other consumer’s alike!) to simply add an egg, some butter, and a splash of vanilla extract.

Among Friends boasts six mixes that pack all the aroma and flavors, but none of the other junk.

Nothing crazy in there…!

Using one of my backyard eggs, I made the Suzie Q’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are whole grain and were a perfect snack. And, even despite the whole grains, my dear manly man gobbled them up.

I look forward to trying their other flavors like Phil’s Eat ‘Um Up Gluten free Cranberry Chocolate Chip (Umm… sounds like a party in a cookie!) and CJ’s Whole Grain Double Chocolate Chip (This has a hint of espresso… chocolate and coffee? Two of my favorite things!).

Check out their website: http://amongfriendsbakingmixes.com/ to see the other flavors and find the mixes in a store near you!

Egg Series Day 7: Where to Find Fresh Eggs and A GIVEAWAY!

Egg Series Day 6: Health Benefits of Fresh Eggs and Among Friends Cookies