My kids love breakfast!  They love cereal.  However, mommy likes to mix it up a bit for them, so when I can find products out there that are both healthy and great tasting, I am very happy.  You wouldn’t think it would be hard to find products that encompass both those, but it is.

One of the things we recently tried in our house was waffles from Nature’s Path.  I personally am a waffle fan.  They are one of my personal favorite breakfast foods.  We tried both the Nature’s Path Gluten-Free HomeStyle Waffles and the Nature’s Path Flax Plus Red Berry Waffles.  Now, the berry waffles were eaten by my husband and kids before I even got to try one!  I got one bite when I was ripping it apart for Will.  Needless to say, these were very good since they were gone so fast.  I did get to try the gluten free waffles myself.  They too were good.  The one thing I noticed right off the bat is that when these waffles come out of the toaster, they are soft instead of crunchy.  I have never had waffles come out that way.  I think that made them even better.  It gave the waffles more taste.

The other breakfast good we got to try was Nature’s Path Hot Oatmeal. The two flavors we tried were Veri Berry™ and Chocolada Almond™. Again, these were huge hits in our house. Not only did they taste good, they even smelled good! I noticed when I took the bowls out of the microwaves that the oatmeal wasn’t all dried out like what normally happens with other brands. When I added the water to the oatmeal, there was no guessing on how much I needed to put in there for it to turn out perfect. Madison loves this oatmeal so much that she still asks for it all the time. The oatmeal is vegan and contains more than 25g of whole grains per serving.

Nature’s Path has several other breakfast foods. I recommend checking them out for all your breakfast needs. They are a huge hit in my house and they will be in yours too.

Anybody who watches the Deadliest Catch is well versed in the Alaskan King Crab (I know I am).  However, if you don’t watch the show, I have some interesting information for you regarding the alaskan king crabs.

1.  They are an excellent source of protein.
2. They low in calories.
3. Alaska leads all the states with over $1 Billion in the annual value of fish caught.  However, when buying online, you do need to be careful.  A lot of online shops tell you they are sending you Alaskan king crab, and you are really buying Russian Red King Crab.
4. Around 40 species of king crab are known.
5. 10 crab species are fished for in Alaska.
6. The largest of king crab can grow a leg span of 6 feet across and weigh over 20 pounds.
7. Females are smaller in size.
8. The average weight is 6 to 10 pounds, but king crab can grow to more than 20 pounds.
9. King crabs have only six legs.
10. When cooked, Alaskan red king crab will turn a fire red color.
11. King crab can live from 10 to 20 years.
12. King crab fishing takes place during the winter months of October through January.
13. Fresh king crab has a shelf life of 5-7 days.
14. Adult king crab eat worms, clams, mussels, snails, brittle stars, sea stars, sea urchins, sand dollars, barnacles, fish parts, and algae.
15. The texture and flavor of Alaskan king crab legs is more delicate and softer in appearance compared to other crab species.

Did you learn something today about King Alaskan Crab that you didn’t know before? I know I did!

If you live in the Chicagoland area, here is a list of farmstands you should definitely check out!

The Farm - 31st east of Wolf Road, Westchester

Didier Farms - 16678 W Aptakisic Rd., Prairie View  847-634-3291

Garden Patch Farms and Orchards - 14154 W 159th St., Homer Glen 708-301-7720

Glasscock Farms - 198 W Laraway Rd, Joliet 815-723-3792

Ida and Sal’s Produce - 36089 N US Hwy 45, Lake Villa 847-245-3705

Keller’s Farm Stand - 516 Knoch Knolls Rd., Naperville 630-369-5319

Krueger Farm and Vegetables - 28572 W IL Rte 120, Lakemoor 815-385-4981

Klein’s Farm and Garden Market, 1175 Lillian St., Elgin 847-683-9647

McCarthy Farms - 10301 W 159th St., (3 blocks west of La Grange Rd), Orland Park 708-349-2158

Natural Farm Stand - 3016 Rte 173, Richmond 815-678-7072

Norton Produce - 39 W369 Rte 64, St. Charles 630-377-8118

Red Barn Farm Market - 3500 S Rte 47, Woodstock 815-338-4343

Stade’s Farm and Market - 3709 Miller Rd., McHenry 815-675-6396

Von Bergen’s Country Market - 9805 IL Rte 173, Hebron 815-648-2332