Review of Corazonas Heartbars

Corazonas Heartbars are now a staple item in our pantry. What are they, you ask?

Corazonas© HEARTBAR™ philosophy is that food should be both delicious and good for you, life should be fun! That's why they've created a thoughtful mix of tasty, heart-healthy ingredients that help lower cholesterol while creating a convenient snack that is truly good and good for you.

What makes a Corazonas HEARTBAR both delicious and nutritious?

·         NON-GMO Ingredients

·         Contains Plant Sterols, which helps to lower (LDL) bad cholesterol*

·         Excellent Source of Whole Grains

·         Shelf Stable and small in size which is perfect for grab-n-go snacking

A few months ago Corazonas sent us some oatmeal squares to sample and review.  After doing some research on the company, looking over the ingredients (which are healthy and words that I can pronounce by the way), and tasting them…I decided I just had to get my hands on more.  I immediately purchased several more boxes on their website.  They were offering free shipping on orders over $100 or more so I decided why not?  I have tasted many of their flavors including orange cranberry, dark chocolate cherry, oatmeal raisin, banana walnut, apple cinnamon, and white chocolate macadamia.  My top picks would have to be the oatmeal raisin, apple cinnamon and dark chocolate cherry.  The ingredients are all natural and the squares are a great on-the-go snack item.  I take them to work, the gym, and with me when I am running errands.  My four-year-old son loves eating them as a bedtime snack.  They are really tasty and not as bland as other oatmeal bars I have tried in the past.  Overall I would give them 3.5 stars out of 4.  My one reservation is that they are on the dry side.  This is a great company with a great product.  Check out their website and see what great offers they have going on.  We are a frugal family and decided to stock up on lots of their clearance items.  Oh, did I mention they also sell mini oatmeal squares too? 

Connect with Corazonas HEARTBAR:

Website: www.corazonas.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartbrandfoods

Bake It Better!

 During this time of year you hear a lot about people wanting to help others, and I personally enjoy making meals/desserts for families who just added a little one to their family, or people who are recovering from surgery etc., so what better way to help this time of year than to bake for a cause! 

Bake up a treat of your choice using Miss Jones baking mix and/or frosting, and they will donate $1 to the SF-Marin Food Bank. Just use the hashtag #betterwithmissjones on Instagram or Facebook, or visit their website for more info at www.missjones.co/better. Your creativity is the secret ingredient! 

So that's what I did. I received this box of goodies from Miss Jones Baking Company to come up with something tasty!

I used the Miss Jones Baking Company's organic sugar cookie mix to create a sugar cookie crusted chocolate peanut butter pie. Doesn't that sound delicious? :) I'll link the recipe below in case anyone is interested! Miss Jones cookie mix is certified organic, non-GMO, plant-based, responsibly sourced, and contains no artificial colors of flavors.

In our home, we love chocolate and peanut butter and any combination of the two. My son also loves helping me in the kitchen, so he was happy to mix up the sugar cookie mix for my pie crust, while I got the peanut butter and chocolate layers ready. It was a team effort!

 

If you're reading this, please comment and share your own creations, and don't forget to enter the contest to win an incredible Grand Prize, valued at over $1,500. You can find all of the contest information at www.missjones.co/better.

Here are a few photos of sample Bake-it-Better Challenge entries that give you an idea of what contest entries could look like.

What would you create???

Here is the recipe if you're interested in trying it: 

http://thevillagecook.com/peanut-butter-pie-with-a-sugar-cookie-crust/

GIVEAWAY: Litehouse Salad Dressing

Anyone else get annoyed when you reach for a salad dressing and realize you're all out so you have to resort to your new bottle in your pantry, which is warm!?! Who wants to put warm salad dressing on a cold salad? I know I don't. If your veggies could talk, they would say no to room temperature dressings. Fresh foods deserve fresh tasting dressings that are packed with ingredients like buttermilk and real blue cheese. 


When the weather gets warmer I have less desire to spend hours slaving over a hot stove. I want meals that are fast, easy, and cool. On those hot summer nights, a great way to cool down is with a refreshing salad or veggie dish filled with the best seasonal ingredients. To top off your dish, reach for another cool and delicious choice – refrigerated Litehouse dressing. Cold is where it’s sold.

I recently had a chance to check out this brand of salad dressing: Litehouse.  They're very tasty! We buy produce about once a week, and often have fresh salsa or salads, so it's nice to be able to shake things up a bit with some new dressings. I've even made some chicken salad using the poppy seed dressing....mmmm! Litehouse have a wide variety of options: blue cheese, ranch, poppyseed and more!

Chicken Salad Recipe:
* 2 lbs of chicken
* 1-2 cups of mayonaise (or substitute)
* 1-2 cups of Litehouse Poppyseed dressing
* dash of sugar

Directions:
Boil the chicken in a pot of water until cooked. Drain in strainer and run cold water over chicken to cool it. Once chicken has cooled, shred by hand.  In large bowl, mix all ingredients in a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Chill for 2-3 hours in fridge. Then eat and enjoy!!! [I like to dip pita chips into this. Yum!!!]


WIN IT: two free product coupons

HOW TO ENTER: 
a Rafflecopter giveaway 


This review and giveaway was made possible by iConnect Influencer Management and Litehouse Foods. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine.

Rhodes Oven-Baked Cinnamon Rolls

I had a chance to have some friends over tonight for a small dinner party and dessert... AND a chance to try out the Rhodes cinnamon rolls. I had tried them last week with my husband and we both loved them, so I was fairly certain our friends would to.

...and I was right. They were a HIT!!!

I served cream of carrot soup and  turkey/cranberry/cheese croissant finger sandwiches for dinner, and dessert was a buffet of goodies: caramel chocolate chip walnut brownies, fudge, cinnamon chip pumpkin muffins, and RHODES CINNAMON ROLLS! We warmed a side of maple syrum and walnuts to make these rolls even more decadent! It made them more like sticky buns. I opted for just the frosting, but others went for the extra toppings.

I couldn't locate the microwave version, but the oven-baked ones were delicious!!! I think they're better than the chain brand you pay way too much for on the boardwalk or in most malls.  With these you get more for your money and you can control how sweet to make them by limiting the frosting or loading it on!

Tryazon Rhodes Bake-N-Serv 

‪#‎tryazon‬ ‪#‎rhodesbread‬

Old Orchard Mixers

Old orchard recently released a new line of products - Mixers! With or without alcohol, Old Orchard mixers let you mix more fun into your life, whether you’re entertaining a crowd or celebrating someone special. They come in three flavors: Daiquiri, Margarita and Pina Colada.

I was sent this awesome party pack from old orchard and was  excited to get a chance to try it, but sadly, I wasn't able to find them in a store near me. Even though I couldn't try them, I'm still using my margarita glasses for popcorn (my son thinks this is so fun!), and I love the lip balms. They make me feel like I'm on an island vacation.

I am definitely keeping my eyes peeled in case they pop up in a store in my area as I really want to try these. They sound perfect for hot afternoons hanging out back with my son (sans alcohol, of course).
Here's a video of how to use these in entertaining:

To learn more, or find out where you can find them, visit their site: https://oldorchard.com/

Merging Lives & Meal Plans!

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Dannon. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. All views and opinions are my own, and do not necessarily represent those of Dannon

In our home we try to keep a good balance of health food and splurges. Growing up my family's meals consisted of a lean meat or fish, a fresh vegetable and a starch. That is how I learned to prepare my meals as I became an adult and started a family. Fresh vetegables or fruits, chicken/turkey/fish and a starch of some sort. However as many married people know when you merge lives you bring two, sometimes polar opposite, views into play so you have to find a happy medium. My husband came from a background that didn't pay as much attention to fresh or lean meal options. It can be hard to find foods that are healthy AND taste great. So many food "crazes" taste horrible, or are so bizarre who would do them? Right?

But one of the things I rarely had growing up as yogurt. It just wasn't something my family enjoyed so it was never stocked in our fridge. We got our calcium from cheese, milk and ice cream (haha). When I met my husband he was a fan of yogurt for breakfast and in smoothies, especially when he joined the gym. Slowly I became a fan of yogurt and added this healthy item into my meal reportoire, which is why I was thrilled to take part in the Dannon® Light & Fit® Tiramisu Flavored Greek nonfat yogurt campaign in partnership with Influencer Activation and Influence Central.  

For some of us, our guilty pleasure or comfort food we turn to after a long day comes in the form of sweets. These indulgences are delicious and satisfying, but can often lead to consuming empty calories that we regret later. Dannon Light & Fit Greek Tiramisu yogurt provides the sweetness we crave, without the guilt! This creamy breakfast, snack or dessert option is a treat that helps with managing diet, weight loss, or simply maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

I'm not a fan of the runnier consistency yogurts which is why I was happy to find that Dannon® Light & Fit® Tiramisu Flavored Greek nonfat yogurt was thick and custard-like. It was a bit sweet for a breakfast yogurt, but delicious for dessert and if you wanted to treat yourself to something sweet, satisfying AND healthy this is the ticket! So often we deny ourselves desserts we want, but now you don't have to. If you want the satisfying taste of Tiramisu without the calories, try this yogurt!!! With 12 grams of protein, 80 calories and 0% fat per 5.3 oz, Dannon® Light & Fit® Tiramisu Flavored Greek nonfat yogurt satisfies taste buds and helps reduce the temptations to eat the calorie laden real deal. Taste the power of satisfaction with NEW Dannon® Light & Fit® Tiramisu Flavored Greek nonfat yogurt.

As we merged lives and meal plans we found that having a good mix of both worlds worked for us and that mix included a large supply of yogurt! My family now has yogurt almost every day for breakfast, which makes me happy because it's a healthy meal option and full of Calcium. Win Win!

Learn more HERE:

Dannon Website: http://www.dannon.com

Dannon Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/dannon

Dannon Twitter Page: @Dannon

Dannon Pinterest Page: https://www.pinterest.com/dannonyogurt/

Dannon Light & Fit Website:http://www.lightandfit.com

Dannon Light & Fit Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/lightandfit

Dannon Light & Fit YouTube Page:https://www.youtube.com/user/lightandfit

Dannon Instagram Page:https://instagram.com/dannon/

GIVEAWAY: Vespiral Slicer makes Veggies FUN!

Vespiral slicer makes vegetables fun! It's a slicer that lets you essentially make long strands/strings of vegetables, like pasta. If you are having a problem getting your child to eat their veggies, you may want to try this. I tried it with zucchini tonight, and it looked like thick pasta. While I haven't tried it on my two year old, I can't wait to!

I received this product for review but opinion expressed it completely my own.

Purchase it here: http://www.amazon.com/revolutionary-spiralizer-impressive-spaghetti-technology/dp/b00pgnu808/ref=sr_1_1?ie=utf8&qid=1429020988&sr=8-1&keywords=vespiral

WIN IT: One readers will win a Vespiral for themselves

HOW TO ENTER: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sampling Party - Bob's Red Mill Flour

Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods is a miller of stone-ground whole grains and a leader in nutritious, organic and gluten-free foods. Their mission to promote “whole grains for every meal of the day” is backed by a diverse line featuring over 400 products including whole grains, flours, cereals, baking mixes, beans, seeds and more. Bob’s Red Mill is based in Milwaukie, Oregon and is proud to be an employee-owned company.

Just the facts 

• Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour is unbleached and unbromated white flour that is milled from premium wheat grown right here in the United States. I had my sampling party tonight and had these lovely ladies, their spouses and children, as well as my own over for a night of great food and great company. We had a nice dinner followed by lovely desserts made with Bob's Red Mill Flour. 

• A favorite among professional bakers, this versatile flour is great for baking bread, cookies, cakes, muffins, quick breads, pie crusts, pizza crusts, and more. 

• Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour is Certified Organic, non-GMO, and does not contain any fillers, additives, or preservatives. 

• The retail price for Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour is $4.49 for a 3lb package.

I made carrot cake muffins (recipe found HERE)  with cream cheese frosting AND peach pound cake. Both were Eastery and delicious!!!! I decided to buy some Gluten Free 1:1 flour since several guests were on a restricted diet. The carrot cake muffins were moist and I couldn't tell they were missing gluten, but the pound cake was denser then usual (as I've made this recipe a handful of times before with regular flour) and not as enjoyable. 

In the past month I've made sugar cookies and had my son and his friends decorate them for Easter. As you can see from the collage photos before, they had a blast! I've made fresh baked bread in the bread maker (for those of you who don't own a break maker, you are missing out!) and chocolate chip cookies that were to die for (my weakness fyi). I am so grateful to Bob's Red Mill for sending out samples and for giving me many excuses to bake and share my creations with my friends and family. I plan to do much more in the near future!!!

Although I received samples of this product, all opinions expressed are 100% my own!

GIVEAWAY: COOKINA PRODUCTS

COOKINA offers three innovative products that are a must-have for those who want to cut down the time and energy spent cleaning up in the kitchen. With the COOKINA Barbecue, Cuisine and Gard Oven Protector home cooks can simply wipe off the sheets and that’s it. It’s that simple, no mess, no stress and no hassle.

My husband and I had been using silicone baking mats for years so I decided to try these COOKINA reusable cooking sheet for a little St. Patrick's Day Fun. My son and his friend wanted to make green cookies, so we mixed them up, rolled them out, popped them on the cooking sheet (on a metal cookie sheet), and in the oven they went. As you can see from their adorable faces, the cookies (and the cooking sheet) was a success!!! They kept my cookie sheet clean, so it made for a fast clean up process, which I appreciated. The cookies also didn't burn, which is a benefit of using a cooking sheet or mat!

While they have two other products I was dying to try, sadly it is not yet grill season (snow storm just last week), but I plan to try it when the weather warms.

The COOKINA Barbecue Reusable Grilling Sheet 
The COOKINA Barbecue is an innovative solution offering home cooks a non-stick, easy-clean and healthy grilling & cooking experience. Ideal for using as an alternative to aluminum foil, users can utilize this product by placing the reusable grilling sheet over the grill to cook up dishes without having to use oil or needing to clean the grill afterwards. It is available at Home Depot’s nationwide for $14.99.
COOKINA Gard Oven Protector
The COOKINA Gard Oven Protector is a toxin-free, easy-to-use product that helps home cooks keep the oven clean with minimal effort. Home cooks need not worry about cleaning the oven after each use with this product. Users can simply place the oven protector on the bottom of the oven to catch every spill and splatter for an easier clean-up, without any odor. It is available for $12.99 at www.cookina.co
COOKINA Cuisine Reusable Cooking Sheet
The COOKINA Cuisine is an innovative product that creates a nonstick, easy-to-clean and healthy cooking & baking experience. Ideal for using as an alternative to aluminum foil, parchment and wax paper, users can place the cooking sheet on a baking tray or pan to bake recipes without having to use oil of needing to clean the tray and oven afterwards. $12.99 / for more information, visit www.cookina.co

Would you like to try all three of the COOKINA products for yourself? Enter to win below!

HOW TO ENTER:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Door to Door Organics

So you know that feeling when you come home and a package is waiting for you? The excitement of Christmas morning. Well at least it's like this for me! I experienced this every other week with Door to Door Organics. I could have picked every week, but I wanted to give myself something to look forward to on the inbetween weeks. What is door to door organics? Let me tell you about it.

Door to Door Organics partners with farmers to bring fresh, organic produce and natural groceries right to your doorstep. As a mom of 1 (sometimes 2, sometimes 3, and sometimes 4 kids, with nannying/fostering), it can be very hard to make it to the grocery story or produce store with kids in tow. The place I normally buy my produce from only has those half carts with nowhere to put children [or much else for that matter]. I tried to take my 2 year old with me once, but had to carry him the entire time because he wanted every flower he saw on display, which proved problematic, so I never did that again. I can't even imagine attempting that with more than 1 child with me. What a nightmare! So I was very excited to learn about a service that lets you pick 1) how much produce you want 2) how often you want to get it 3) what is in your box (fruit, veggies or both) and 4) stay in your warm cozy home!!!!

On top of being convenient, it pushes me to try new things. We cooked swiss chard for the first time, and had tangelo's for the first time. One that I didn't enjoy at all, and one that I did. I also learned that we LOVE fingerling potatoes. So this can be an educational experience as well as a convenient one. And don't fret if there is something listed in your box that you don't like. Door to Door Organics gives you a window of time where you can swap out the things you don't want for things you do. Win win!

I really love this service, and would highly recomment it! 

With the craziness of the holiday season, treat yourself to this produce/fruit delivery system, and use this $10 coupon code: MELINDA1415T  Boxes start at $25, so why not give this a try for $15 (after coupon code)???

Rodelle Baking Supplies

About Rodelle: Responsibly sourced from premier growing regions, Rodelle has been delivering the finest in baking essentials for 75 years. Its pure vanilla, superior extracts and remarkable spice blends have been unrivaled in flavor and quality since 1936. Rodelle’s exclusive collection takes culinary adventure from good to grand. The company believes that choosing premier ingredients is the way for avid chefs to make a difference in their recipes year round.

Rodelle is currently running a great contest, where you could win a year's supply of Rodelle products and/or a KitchenAid Mixer (which I deperately need considering how much baking I do!).

I LOVE to bake, so I was really excited to try some new extracts - vanilla and lemon. The rodelle extracts have a very strong flavor, which I like. I haven't tried the lemon yet, but I've used the vanilla beans, and the vanilla extract!

Here are some images of cakes I've made with the vanilla extract:

Strawberry shortcake

Birthday Cake

Scrabble Birthday Cake

For more information on Rodelle products visit http://www.rodellekitchen.com/

Disclaimer: this post is an entry into this contest!

Apple Cider Cake/Cupcake recipe

Apple Cider Cake/Cupcakes

This is one of my favorite seasons to bake for. We have delicious crispy apples, caramel treats (like caramel corn, and caramel apples), apple cider, cinnamon and spice, pumpkin and so much more. To the left was a champagne cake I made a few years back, but I wanted to share a great Apple Cider Cupcake/Cake recipes with you, including cinnamon icing:

Enjoy!

For the cake:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 stick butter (1/2 cup), melted
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 packet of instant apple cider mix (or 2 for extra flavor)

For the Icing:

• Vanilla icing with 1 T of cinnamon, and dash of nutmeg/cloves

In the bowl of an electric mixer (or mix well by hand), combine all the ingredients for the cake.  Blend until thoroughly mixed.  Pour the batter into a well greased bundt pan, or cupcake pan with cupcake liners.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes (or 15-20 for cupcakes), or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Christmas Classics & Cookies = Great Combination

DreamWorks Holiday CollectionJoin some of your family’s favorite characters, Shrek, Po, Toothless and the rest of the DreamWorks gang, in four timeless holiday specials, available for the first-time in one DVD box set!

This limited edition collection features four holiday favorites in one DVD box set for just $19.98. The glittering box set includes Shrek The Halls, Merry Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda Holiday and Dragons Holiday: Gift of the Night Fury as well as bonus features including games, music videos and more!

Start a new holiday tradition!  Bring the family together in front of the fire and get cozy —The DreamWorks Holiday Collection provides hours of entertainment for all ages.  

Original Christmas Classics

The cute and family-friendly box set contains four of the most beloved holiday TV specials of all time, including the Rankin/Bass classics “Frosty the Snowman,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” and “Frosty Returns.” Watching these iconic TV specials are part of the American holiday tradition, just like baking cookies or trimming the Christmas tree!  The holiday season just wouldn’t be the same without them…

But what movie watching experience is complete without Christmas cookies???? So while watching Rudolph and other holiday movies we had some festive cookies to munch on. I made some Christmas ornament cookies last year (below with the colorful sprinkles) and they were so much fun to make and eat, and my husband always makes Baklava around Christmas time. Yum yum!

 Or try these recipes provided by christmasclassictv.com:

Movies, images and information provided by King + Company for DreamWorks Classics