Thirteen-year-old Kennedi drizzles LifeOiL into a skillet before pouring pockets of pancake batter onto the pan. “My daughter loves to make pancakes for the family,” says Donald Bryant, Kennedi’s father. And, thanks to her dad’s line of products, her breakfast specialty is also free of GMOs and additives.
That’s one reason Bryant created LifeOiLs, which hit Walmart shelves nationwide this past fall – with more big stores in the works for spring.
“The research is still not conclusive on using GMOs and how they affect our bodies,” says Bryant, who lives in West Bloomfield and has three kids. “But what we do know is there’s a connection between what we eat and our health.”
LifeOiLs, first launched in 2012, scraps genetically modified organisms, instead offering all-natural, heart-healthy vegetable, canola, corn and blended oils. Another perk? It’s budget-friendly – and convenient (no extra trip to a specialty retailer).
Making a meal with your kids can help spark conversation about good eating, adds Bryant, who also helped launch the successful B. Smith’s Olive Oil line. While you’re sautéing chicken, explain that it’s healthier than breading and frying the meat – or even heating up prepackaged chicken strips. In baking recipes, he says, swapping oil for butter helps lower saturated fat in muffins, cakes and cookies.
Give LifeOiL’s all-purpose blend a go in this tasty dinner idea.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. All-Purpose LifeOiL blend, divided
- 2 lb. raw large shrimp
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped into thin strips (see note)
- 1 small white onion, chopped into thin strips
- 1 24-oz. jar marinara pasta sauce
- 1 package angel hair or spaghetti pasta
- Parmesan cheese (optional, for garnish)
Directions
- Chop bell pepper and onions into thin strips. Remove veins and tails from the shrimp, along with any shell pieces.
- Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large pot and cook pasta according to package directions.
- In a large skillet, bring 1 tablespoon of oil to medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and onion pieces. Sauté vegetables for 4 minutes or until just softened; remove from the pan.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan and bring to medium-high heat. Add shrimp and garlic. Sprinkle with seasonings. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the shrimp become pink and are no longer translucent.
- Slowly pour in the pasta sauce and add the vegetables. Reduce temperature to low and cook until just heated through.
- Serve the shrimp over pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Note: Kid hate veggies? Put the green pepper and pasta sauce in a blender; process until smooth. Another idea: Use red bell peppers instead of green. For extra nutrition, pick fiber, protein or multigrain pasta.
More About LifeOiL
This Farmington Hills-based company makes GMO- and additive-free cooking oils like soybean, canola, corn, and blended varieties.
Costs (per 1-liter bottle): $2.98/vegetable and canola, $3.98/all-purpose
Where to buy: Online, at Walmart and, starting in spring, other large grocers
