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- 1/4 cup egg whites
- 3 teaspoons brewed Cafe Bustelo coffee
- 2 Tablespoons applesauce, unsweetened
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2 Tablespoons coconut flour
- 1 Tablespoon flax seed meal
- 3 Truvia packets
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 small granny apple, peeled, cored and diced and divided
- 3 Tablespoons pecans, chopped
- 3 Truvia packets
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Spray a 2-cup Corning ware dish or mug with non-stick spray.
- Make the Nut Mixture and set aside.
- In a small bowl, add all the ingredients except the apples.
- Mix well until blended.
- Add 1/2 the apples to batter.
- Place half the diced apples on the bottom of dish. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of nut mixture over the apples. Add half the batter and then sprinkle remaining nut mixture. Finish with the rest of the batter.
- Microwave for 1 minute and let cake sit for about 1 minute.
- Turn dish upside down on a serving plate and share with a friend or your kids.
- 3-piece Batch Bowl
- Power Base
- 6 Food Storage Pots
- Freezer Tray with Stay Fresh Lid
- Steaming Basket
- Short Cup with Stay Fresh Lid
- Blending Blade
- Milling Blade
- 2 Long Handle Spoons
- User Manual and Cookbook
- Nutrition Pocket Guide
- 1 cup Tarantas Tempranillo wine, divided
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 cup brewed hibiscus tea
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon NuNaturals NoCarbs Blend (stevia + erythritol blend) or 2 Tbsp Truvia
- 3 cups half and half
- 1 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon NuNaturals NoCarbs Blend or 2 teaspoons Truvia
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 teaspoons NuNaturals NoCarbs Blend
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder or starch
- In a bowl, dissolve the gelatin with the hibiscus tea, orange juice, and 1/2 cup of wine.
- Add to a small non-stick pan and bring liquid to a low boil.
- Add the sweetener,blueberries, zest, cinnamon, vanilla.
- Boil for 5-7 minutes, stirring with a spoon.
- Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining 1/2 cup red wine.
- Grease 6 mini (1-cup) molds of choice with non-stick spray.
- Add 1/2 cup red wine gelatin to each mold and place molds on baking sheet and in fridge.
- Cool for 45 min to an hour.
- In a small bowl dissolve and whisk in gelatin into the 3 cups of half and half.
- Place mixture in a small pot and bring to a low boil.
- Add the vanilla bean paste and sweetener and boil for 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and slightly cool.
- Remove the molds from fridge and add 1/2 cup of cream to each mini mold.
- Return to fridge until set.
- In a small non-stick pan, add the orange juice and dissolved starch.
- Turn on heat to medium until the mixture start boiling.
- When it thickens add the vanilla extract and remove from heat.
- Allow to completely cool.
- On a small plate add 2-3 Tablespoons of orange sauce.
- Invert each mold onto a small plate and garnish with whipped cream and some blueberries.
A Relaxed Easter Dinner with Bob Evans + Giveaway
March 12th, 2016Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with Bob Evans. All opinions are photos are my own unless otherwise disclosed.
I woke up today realizing that it is really March and no longer December. Is that bad? 2016 has begun at full force and it feel like I can hardly keep up with birthdays and holidays with the days flying by. I think all of it got ahead of me since we celebrated a late Christmas with family in mid-January and then all of a sudden it was Valentine’s Day and now EASTER! Either way, I am trying to take a breather to enjoy every day especially since I look forward to March.
March holds so many activities with our family. My husband has been out of town twice already and my schedule of activities with my church and community has quickly filled up. In between all of that, I am trying to sit back and enjoy what I love best about March and springing forward: Easter.
Easter is such a beautiful time of year for us because we spend most of our time before the actual day worshiping at our church. We think about all events that took place before Jesus raised up from the dead on Easter. It is a celebration of life and a celebration of hope for all people. While we love the introduction of spring with flowers, bunnies and egg hunts, we really love celebrating with others what Easter is truly about.
One of the things our family enjoys is sitting around and enjoying a meal after our Easter services. We have invited others to share our table and even had those same friends join us at our church service. This year we are planning on making our dining a lot easier by eating at home instead of our usual local restaurant dining. Since we are combining two families with lots of kids, we thought it best to just enjoy the time where kids could also have fun with each other WITH toys available to them. That’s why Bob Evans should do the cooking this Easter!
For families who want to enjoy a farm-fresh, homestyle meal, Bob Evans is once again offering the popular Farmhouse Feast, which must be ordered in advance. The meal includes hickory smoked ham served with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and ham, buttered sweet corn, cole slaw, rolls and lemon supreme pie.
The Farmhouse Feast can feed a family of four for $49.99* or a family of eight for $79.99*, which includes a loaf of banana nut bread. Additional servings may be added a la carte. Guests can order the Farmhouse Feast at any Bob Evans Restaurant or www.bobevans.com starting March 17 and schedule their own pick-up date through Easter Sunday. The meals are fresh and made-to-order, but quantities are limited, so ordering early is highly recommended.
Do you still want to go somewhere for brunch? Bob Evans also has that option. Their breakfast and brunch menu looks amazing! Bob Evans was recently named the America’s best breakfast restaurant so there is much to be expected right? On Easter, Bob Evans will open at 6 a.m. and will offer brunch menu items all day, starting at $4.99. They will include the best-in-class breakfast including guest favorites, such as Farmer’s Choice Breakfast with Cherry Brioche French Toast, served with two cooked-to-order eggs, a farmhouse side, and a breakfast meat; and Border Scramble Omelet, a spicy pepper-jack cheese omelet smothered with a blend of Bob Evans sausage, home fries, diced tomatoes and onions in a zesty ranchero sauce.
It is great to know that Bob Evans is relaunching their breakfast menu that uses farm-fresh ingredients, including fresh, never frozen Bob Evans sausage, fresh-cracked eggs from Midwestern farms, 100 percent Florida orange juice, fresh-cut potatoes, and freshly brewed coffee from 100 percent Arabica beans.
Bob Evans Restaurants owns and operates 547 family restaurants in 18 states, primarily in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States. Make sure you visit their site to find a location near you.
Want a chance to enjoy a meal at the restaurant at Easter? Enter below for a chance to win a $50 gift card to buy a family meal for FOUR for Easter brunch or dinner.
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Quick Apple Coffee Mug Cake #CoffeeRoutine
March 9th, 2016
I wish I could give up coffee but coffee cannot give up on me. I know when my coffee addiction started and probably many of you will agree that it was helpful to you as well. The college years proved to be very busy with long hours of studying and keeping up with work. As life crept on, coffee was not just a stimulant but it became a beverage of choice. One that had different tasting notes, blends, flavors and more. I started a fantastic journey with coffee like no other beverage. My morning coffee routine is not only in the mornings but it is also an all-day routine.
When I was visiting an aunt in Veracruz years ago, I remember visiting an outdoor café in the afternoon and sitting and enjoying un café lechero, or a hot latte. These cafés are well-known for their waiters serving these lattes in a particular style. We would order our pan dulce (sweet breads) and then patiently for our waiter to come with huge stainless steel kettles to pour steaming milk on our shot of coffee. I remember going almost every day to have these lattes because they were not only tasty but watching the waiters pour coffee from a certain height was certainly fascinating.
Back to reality, or in the States, we order simple lattes and enjoy them with our friends but now after having three kids, my simple temporary, but fulfilling enjoyment is shopping for variety of coffees and making them during my girls’ nap time. It is during this time that I am able to relax and enjoy a HOT cup of coffee when the morning busyness makes me forget my first cup of coffee. Even though I should be taking a nap, it is also a time I catch up on all kinds of work which means I also need a snack.
Who doesn’t get sleepy around three or four in the afternoon? That times comes around and immediately I feel the heavy eyes. In the last 2 months, I have been adding a snack during that time to help me focus on my tasks. Those snacks are healthy and full of protein and go well with my hot cup of coffee.
Every time I go to ShopRite, I go down the coffee aisle to see what kind of coffee specials are available, especially with the K-cups. Making just ONE cup of coffee helps me waste less coffee and it allows me to have a variety. Cafe Bustelo is one K-cup I have enjoyed in the afternoons because it is flavorful and goes well with my cream and my snack.
Coffee cakes pair perfectly with a cup of coffee but I usually make them on special occasions. Mug cakes have been my go-to snack in the afternoons because they are a no-guilt indulgence with the healthy ingredients I need. My afternoons are my time to relax, indulge, and fulfill the tasks at hand. I am still able to maintain my sugar-free lifestyle especially with Truvia Natural Sweetener. Not only does this sweetener make my coffee tasty but it is a better option for my afternoon treats.
Try my quick afternoon Apple Coffee Cake Mug Cake during your quiet time and indulge with your favorite cup of coffee and creamer. When you go to ShopRite and buy 2 participating coffee products and 1 participating creamer you can get a free box of Truvia Natural Sweetener 40ct now thru 3/12, while supplies last.
Can be baked in two muffin tins baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
LCHF, S dessert or treat for TrimHealthyMama
This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® , The J.M.Smucker Company, White Wave, and Truvia Natural Sweetener, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #CoffeeRoutine http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
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Taking a Night Off with Carrie Underwood
February 29th, 2016
Happy Monday friends! I wish the weekend had been a little longer so I could sleep a little more or even had a chance to read a new book I’ve had staring at me. Yesterday, I told my husband that I wish we had an extra Saturday to rest and be with our family because it goes so fast.
Every week, my usually has an evening off so that I can go out and catch on work. Some days I do not even want to do that. Usually I want to take a walk outside, watch a movie, or even go out with a girlfriend but work usually gets in the way. I have found that it has been relaxing going out and taking a break from being indoors and around the busyness at hand.
Last week, my husband shared with me the day he was off so I could go out, but where should I go? I was invited to go to a Carrie Underwood concert! Wow, this never happens. I mean the last time I attended a concert was back in college. It was Maroon 5 covering for John Mayer. How crazy is that? Even thought I was not familiar with all her songs, I was excited to take a night off doing something fun with other women. Can I get an amen?
I took advantage of the time and really planned on my trek into the city. Thankfully I did not have to leave dinner prepared since there were plenty of leftovers for my family so I left as soon as my husband got home. Going into downtown Philly is an event in of itself. If you leave to late at a certain time of day, you are doomed to sit in traffic for a long time. I have really only seen the highways pretty clear when we go to church Sundays.
Something I like to do is try new places to eat. If you follow my Instagram feed, I share the places we eat. I really had no desire to spend a lot on stadium food or food that I would not be able to enjoy, so I headed to East Passyunk which is only 10 minutes away from the stadium and enjoyed a delicious organic burger at P’unk Burger. I ordered the burger of the month, called Alpine burger, which is grass-feed beef, portabella mushrooms, swiss, garlic mayo, and bibb lettuce on a gluten-free bun. It was so juicy and tasty! I ordered some mozzarella sticks to taste one and that too was savory and great comfort food. I could not leave without tasting their shakes, which can be made vegan! I had a small kid shake just to get an idea of the flavors and boy, was it creamy and satisfying! Nice to know that a local restaurant is using local ingredients to make such delicious meals.
It was concert time!! One of the things I found out is that Carrie Underwood has been on tour since January 30th presenting The Storyteller Tour. Along the course of her tour, select military families, chosen in partnership with Operation Homefront, will be treated to a personal meet-and-greet with Underwood before her concerts. I love when there are great causes to support those who have been serving our country!
We had amazing seats and had a great view of Carrie Underwood while she performed every number. She changed outfits almost every 2 songs and really sang her heart out with every song. I remember her from American Idol and her being open about being a Christian. I was impressed by how much she loved her gift of music. Since I am only familiar with a few of her songs, it was really great to hear her other songs. It is evident that she is truly has an amazing group of fans because Philly came out and represented.
As a vocalist, I am in awe of her gift of singing. She gives glory to God for her gift and is thankful for what she is able to do for others. She is definitely a talented musician and am already humming many of her songs as I continue listening to her on Spotify.
Another amazing fact about Carrie Underwood is that she recently has partnered with Carnival Cruise Line, who has created a new initiative to support U.S. military families in a program called Honor. Family. Fun. It is a year-round program that will help raise funds for Operation Homefront and will end in a special private pier side concert for service men and women and their families starring Underwood aboard Carnival’s newest and most family-friendly ship, the Carnival Vista, when the vessel makes its U.S. debut in New York City at the Port of New York on November 4, 2016.
How amazing does this sound?
Are you a fan of Carrie Underwood and love supporting great causes especially the military? Consider donating through the “Donate Now” button on Carnival. In addition to that , commemorative dog tags will also be available for purchase at merchandise stands at all Storyteller Tour stops as well as on board the fleet of Carnival ships with all proceeds going to Operation Homefront. Read more about them here.
Disclosure: I was provided with concert tickets and dog tags in exchange for coverage of the partnership between Carrie Underwood, Carnival Cruiselines, and Operation Homefront.
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Growing Family. Growing Appetites. {Giveaway}
February 25th, 2016
My husband and I have been married almost 8 years and we have lots to show for it. We have three beautiful girls under the age of 5 to raise, a home to maintain, busy jobs, and more. I always thought it would be easy to remember everything I did with each daughter but alas I learned what mommy brain truly means.
Maybe this is why everyone has a baby book so that they can write down what they do with each baby. I am not that person unfortunately. I can take photos and those solely work as my memory bank. I guess the more we add to our memory bank, the more it shoves those memories into hard to remember crannies. You get me? HA.
When our third baby girl turned 6 months ago in January I wondered if I would wait off introducing solids to her. She seemed content with solely nursing but the more she sat near us at every meal, the more we started hearing her be more vocal about food. Could she be ready?
Our daughter was clearly noticing meal time and we started introducing first foods to her to see if she would embrace it. While her tongue was not ready, her mind was ready and she seemed really excited and eager to taste. One thing is for sure that I remember is that I loved the concept of baby-led weaning with foods cut up in small pieces so they could mash in their gums.
I totally think our little one is still not ready with that even though her little hands are able to pick up puffs so I have been focusing solely on puree. I started working with avocados, bananas, zucchini as her first foods and blending them individually so she could savor and register what she liked.
Now at almost 7 months, Natalie is loving foods that are combined like sweet potato and squash, or apples and oatmeal. She really has not rejected ANY food except for mushy banana. I definitely think she prefers puree for now and eats really well three times a day. We have seen no teeth emerge but we foresee that changing soon.
So going back to what I said in the beginning, while I love making my own foods for my baby it is not always possible due to busy schedules, but the goal is to make an effort to make puree and to freeze in bulk in order to have some ready in advance. I recently was able to try the Nuby Garden Fresh Mighty Blender, a all-in-one baby food prep system.
The systems includes a 22-piece set that includes the following:
It is geared to make homemade perfect puree for babies starting at 4-6 months and older or chopped baby food for 7 months and older and even mini meals for babies 10 months and older. There is are two types of blades that help blend foods for each feeding stage. There is even a steaming basket that fits into a batch bowl with a lid in order to microwave the fruits and veggies. Included in the kit is a user manual instructing how long to steam the desired fruits and veggies. It was really simple!
I have one cabinet that I gear to baby and kids cups, bowls and such so this whole set fit in our cabinet. It worked well because there are many pieces but as long as it is placed in a basket that fits in an assigned area, it is easy to grab and plug in. While I do have a high-powdered blender and food processor, sometimes those appliances are just too big for even food to freeze in the small freezer trays.
I liked using this blenders because it not only served making baby food, but I could make smoothies for my toddlers and ahem, even myself during my snack time. Smoothie for one ya’ll!
This would be a great appliance and then hand down to another mama so they can experience the joys of homemade baby food without the guilt of always having to buy prepared foods. I know it helps me! If you want to try this, enter the giveaway below or find the products to purchase.
You can find this product on Amazon or BuyBabyDirect.
Check out Nuby on Twitter and on Facebook.
Disclosure: I received this product to review and giveaway is provided by Nuby.
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Mini Berry and Red Wine Panna Cotta Jello with Orange Sauce {Sugar-Free} + Contest
February 24th, 2016
I am so excited to share this recipe with you because it means I was in the kitchen cooking!!! You know we all lead very busy lives but it is just important to spend time doing what we enjoy the most.
When I get in the kitchen, I get inspired, giddy and excited. Did you know I took chemistry in college? I actually have a minor in chemistry in addition to my music degree.
Yeah, I know. That does not make sense but I was working on my pre-requisites for pharmacy school and then decided I was not going to pursue that anymore and then ended up with a lot of chemistry under my belt. The fact is, is that I love to mix and create. I get ideas, test them and then enjoy them. Sometimes it means I have made something unique and fun and other times, it ends up being a flop but at least I enjoy it.
Have you seen Chopped on Food Network? It is one of my favorite shows to watch because there is the challenge of creating one of kind dishes using unique food items or a creative combination of foods. You should hear me yelling at the TV to the contestants what they should be creating. I love it!
My kitchen creating looks like an episode of Chopped. I take the ingredients I have available in my fridge or pantry and I create. While I like following recipes, I hardly EVER follow them to a T. I always change them up or add to them because, well, this is how I function.
So what happens when I receive goodies in the mail to create recipes? Over several days I think about ideas, flavors, tasting notes and then when I cannot stop thinking of an idea, I go for it and create.
Tarantas Red Wine has sent out a challenge to all to create unique recipes using their wine and that pair well with their wines. The Tarantas brand name and label was inspired by the free-flowing, open art form of Flamenco song and dance of the same name, celebrated in Southeast Spain. “Pure wines capturing the essence of Spain in every glass,” Tarantas Wines are made with 100% certified organic grapes.
I personally did not know about tarantas being an art form of flamenco. I have seen flamenco dancing in while in Spain many years back and fell in love with it! I have also seen friends play flamenco songs. It easily transports you and relaxes you. If you are not familiar with flamenco, here is Paco de Lucia, a well-known artist, playing a taranta.
I was inspired to make a gelatin mold using berries, hibiscus tea, and wine and then created a simple Panna cotta as a second layer. I then added an orange sauce to the dessert that sealed the deal. A glass of Tarantas Tempranillo was used for the berry layer since the tasting notes include flavors of cranberries and blackberries with a crisp honeyed dried citrus finish.
I really had fun with this recipe especially since the task for me was to make it sugar-free. I used NuNaturals Low-carb sweetener with every layer. The dessert would definitely go well with a glass of the red wine after finishing a heavier meal.
Tarantas Wines is excited to launch this national recipe contest as a way to introduce American wine lovers to the concept of Tarantas Tiene Cuerpo y Alma ~ Wine with Body and
Soul from the Heart of Spain.
Tarantas Taste of Spain Recipe Contest entries will be accepted in five categories: 1) Small Plates/Tapas, 2) Main Dish, 3) Side Dish, Soup or Salad, 4) Dessert, 5) Wine-Based Craft Cocktail.
All entrants are required to include a Tarantas wine pairing recommendation for their dish and the use of a Tarantas wine as an ingredient is required in the Wine-Based Craft Cocktail category. Entry form includes a list of the eligible Tarantas wines.
Recipe instructions and ingredients along with the photo should be submitted to www.tarantaswines.com/recipes no later than 11:59 p.m. on April 15, 2016. Creative cooks can find the complete contest rules on the website. Must be a U.S. citizen over 21 years of age to enter. All accepted entries will be featured on the Tarantas Wines website and select recipes will be featured across the company’s social media channels.
Disclosure: I have not been compensated for this post but is mainly used for review of the wine and promoting of recipe.
While this is a sugar-free dessert, feel free to sub regular sugar. Instead of the measurements listed, use 1/3 cup of sugar for the red wine layer, 1/4 cup for the panna cotta layer, and 2 teaspoons of sugar for the orange sauce.
**For dairy free, you can make with full fat coconut milk, but calories will increase.
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
it sets for 45 mins for 1st half and second half.
28 net carbs
