Before Paula Deen became a bestselling author and celebrity chef, she taught sons Jamie and Bobby how to cook at the family’s restaurant, aptly named The Lady & Sons.

The Savannah, GA-based eatery, which opened its doors in 1989, still specializes in Southern cuisine—from fried green tomatoes and fried chicken to crab stew and barbecued grouper. (Check out Paula’s recipe for Rustic Orange Eggs Benedict.)

The Deen brothers have since hosted the Food Network’s Road Tasted and written several cookbooks, including Y’all Come Eat and The Deen Bros. Take It Easy: Quick and Affordable Meals the Whole Family Will Love.

School is almost in session, so it’s time to “think outside the loaf,” according to registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer.

“Kids do get tired of the same old sandwiches,” says the visiting professor of exercise science at Willamette University in Salem, OR. She’s also the author of numerous books, including Age-Proof Your Body: Your Complete Guide to Looking and Feeling Younger.

A tortilla wrap is a great way to experiment with a variety of healthy ingredients, Somer says, and tortillas are a good choice for budget-conscious families.

But I think even before the salmonella scare people were already leery about certain food products, especially anything manufactured in a large facility.

And despite the squeaky clean image and the perceived safeness of organic foods, they can get into trouble too.

The New York Times reveals how current organic standards can leave organics at risk:

By 2002, those ideals had been arduously translated into a set of federal organic regulations limiting pesticide use, restricting kinds of animal feed and forbidding dozens of other common agricultural practices.

To determine who would be allowed to use the green and white “certified organic” seal, the Department of Agriculture deputized as official certifiers dozens of organizations, companies and, in some cases, state workers.

These certifiers, then, are paid by the farmers and manufacturers they are inspecting to certify that the standards have been met. Depending on several factors, the fee can be hundreds or thousands of dollars. Manufacturers who buy six or seven organic ingredients to make one product are especially dependent on the web of agents.

If agents do a thorough job, the system can be effective. But sometimes it falls apart.

No doubt, this sounds no different than non-organic food regulations or any government system for that matter, sometimes the process breaks down.

And since people assume organic is safer, even if it isn’t, all the more reason for organizations, like the FDA and USDA, to sure up their operations.

All of the ingredients should be readily available at your local natural and organic food store.

Peanut Butter Salad Dressing

Makes 4 servings

• 1/2 cup Smucker’s Organic Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly brewed tea, room temperature
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice or cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced

Mix dressing ingredients in medium bowl. Stir until mixture is blended and smooth. (Dressing will keep two days.)

Book Pick of the Day: Peanut Butter Planet: Around the World in 80 Recipes, from Starters to Main Dishes to Desserts

Recipe and photo courtesy of Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter

I’d normally come up with a more creative title for this blog entry, but there’s something so enticing about a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It’s healthy comfort food at its finest, so why tamper with perfection?

PB&J can also be one of your secret weapons in the war against childhood obesity, according to Dr. Gayl Canfield, a nutritionist at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa who we recently interviewed for our feature article Organic Food Fights Childhood Obesity.

“PB&J sandwiches, an old favorite, get much healthier when you use 100% whole-wheat bread and no-sugar-added or 100% pure fruit preserves,” she tells Organic Authority. “You might even find that your child prefers the nutty, firm texture of whole-grain breads to spongy white breads, which often get smashed paper-thin in their lunchbox. If your kids are banana lovers, use bananas instead of jelly. Slice the banana crosswise, and arrange your ‘banana pennies’ right on top of the peanut butter.”

I like my PB&J with slices of fresh pear (see photo, above). Couldn’t be juicier, and it’s a great summer lunch or snack—especially when it’s too hot to turn on the oven!

Note: Because you follow an organic lifestyle, OrganicAuthority.com recommends using certified organic ingredients, when available, in all recipes to maximize flavor and nutrition, while minimizing your risk of exposure to pesticides, chemicals and preservatives.

Photo courtesy of USA Pears