Saying good morning with a mocha!

This morning I made a delicious mocha without an outragous price tag ($$ & calories). Here is the recipe and in my favorite kitty mug (note it looks just like my baby Dexter):
1 scoop Click espresso protein
1/2 tablespoon cacao powder
couple packets sweetner
COFFEE
Enjoy!

Evol

I am a burrito aficionado you could say. I love them but they have to be a good, authentic burrito not a frozen one for sure. Until I saw these from Evol. I knew I had to try them. They claimed to be stuffed with fabulous ingredients, offered multiple preparation methods and well their packaging was just cool. So last night I heated one up with this method – microwaved it until soft and warm then I tossed it in the pan for a minute to brown up each side. Served with some Newman’s Own salsa, some Mexican rice and a side of corn it looked like the perfect meal but honestly I still was not expecting much from my frozen burrito. Staying safe I had the “Bean & Cheese” and its caliber was right there with my favorite local restaurant. I am not kidding. It was out of this world. Totally gourmet, authentic, fresh tasting and satisfying oh and did I mention huge? I have so many other kinds to taste (check out their website for all the options) but next on my list is the Tofu and Veggie Sautee or Veggie Fajita… Thank you Evol, you have forever changed my view on frozen burritos but don’t expect any experimenting outside this line-up!

Give me some booty!

Not that kind of booty—Pirates Booty! Last night, I literally got a treasure chest in the mail filled with treats and more treats – “Healthy, Delicious, Arrrgh!” Too cute and too tasty! This healthy? It can’t be! But it is…crunchy puffed all natural rice and corn for only 130 calories. Another factoid to get you away from those evil puffed cheesy fried snacks out there? Pirates Booty even costs less when I compared—now how great is that?! Oh and pssst—these are NOT fried!

Lifeway Kefir + Ice = Heaven

Last night I opened up my strawberry Kefir by Lifeway and stared in the bottle. Kefir is not the most common item in the USA. We typically have yogurt or milk—not an in between. I took a smell of it though and I could not wait to try it! I took a little sip and my tastebuds were jumping up and down. It was so good. A little tart like yogurt but sweet, creamy and a perfect strawberry flavor. I thought wow this is better than ice cream! Oh wait—this could be a healthy ice cream in no time. So I got out my blender and did this:

1 cup Lifeway Strawberry Kefir
½ cup water
A few packets of sweetner
Dash of Xanthan Gum (thickener optional)
Ice Cubes
Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Even yogurt haters aka crazy people would love this. It is my new “thing”!
Lifeway is really the only brand of Kefir that I ever see—and for good reason. Their blend is amazing. They have a bunch of flavors that I am dying to try—peach, blueberry, mixed berry etc… Imagine the ice cream possibilities. Tomorrow though my kefir will be on top of my cereal! I could make overnight oats with it… WOW!

My New Pan!

I am so excited! Finally, I have a new pan. Seems like a silly thing to get so worked up about but for months I have been using one that had no finish left on it and burned my precious food no matter how much cooking spray I used! So here she is:

My take on this pan: GLORIOUS! Its finish is totally non-stick, no spray even necessary. It is smooth and very deep with a perfectly fitting lid. Oven safe and a handle with that allows you to grip it made of silicone. I am so happy with this item… I would totally recommend purchasing this for all your gourmet delights. I had to show from the top and the side so you could see just how deep this is! I could see myself even doing stir fries in here! I loaded it with a full bag of broccoli and still had room to steam and stir. Here are the actual specs of the pan and a link to go get it yourself (its on sale right now).

Anolon Advanced Bronze 12” Covered Ultimate Pan
Designed for cooks who appreciate the best in materials and aesthetics, the Ultimate Pan has sloped sides that allow for fast rotating or stirring of ingredients. The shape is similar to a salad bowl to allow for easy tossing of food. The nonstick surface makes cleanup effortless, while the glass lid allows constant monitoring of cooking foods without losing heat or moisture.
Features:
• Restaurant tested by professional chefs
• Twice as hard as stainless steel, this hard-anodized construction is preferred for its extraordinary durability and fast and even heating, reducing “hot spots” that can burn foods.
• Color-coordinating Anolon SureGrip® handles are a comfortable combination of stainless steel and silicone
• The graceful tulip shape brings a touch of elegance to any kitchen. Break resistant glass lids allow constant monitoring of cooking foods without losing heat or moisture.
Specifications:
• Dimensions: 12"
• Material: Hard-anodized aluminum
• Cleaning Care: Hand-wash

Click This Protein!

In the morning I like to be alert and feel totally alive—no matter how much sleep I get. I used to depend on coffee but lately I have been waking up with a Espresso Mocha tasting Protein Drink. Yes, its true—a healthy alternative to those oh so yummy Mocha drinks. Each serving gets you started off right with 23 vitamins and minerals, a double shot of espresso, 15 grams of protein and only 120 calories! That is unreal! Most Mochas cost you over 300 calories without giving you all the other benefits. So to the taste—wow so good! I have only tried Click hot so far and it is like a rich, creamy Mocha and I actually felt good about drinking it. The cool thing is that you can also drink it cold AND they have a bunch of recipes on their website! Such a neat concept and well needed in the land of unhealthy coffee drinks!

The Organic Gourmet

I am not talking about myself! But I did do a little experimenting to come up with my own gourmet soup made from the Organic Gourmet’s Veggie based Bouillon Cubes. I had so many odds and ends of veggies in my cabinets and fridge so it was truly a veggie soup of leftovers and boy was it good! Here is what I did:

Took 2 of the cubes and dissolved them in water. Let it boil and added all the veggies—I had some leftover kidney beans, corn, carrots, mushrooms, chopped up some celery and dumped in my leftover brown rice and let it all simmer together. The Bouillon Cubes made my soup fantastic. I did not have to add any additional seasonings or anything—it was perfect. It doesn’t look that pretty but it tasted so good.

I am finding that soup is the perfect way to start meals and they fill me up with minimal calories but I can pack the nutrients in there. So I have been having soup with a lean source of protein for my lunches lately and now I love it even more that I can control EXACTLY what goes in my soups and yet still have them taste as good, if not better than store bought editions.

They have tons of other veggie based products as well including: Vegetable Seasoning & Stock Concentrate, Low Sodium Vegetable Seasoning & Stock Concentrate, Wild Mushroom Seasoning & Stock Concentrate, Just-Like-Chicken Seasoning & Stock Concentrate, Bouillon Cubes, Low Sodium Bouillon Cubes, Miso Pastes, Spreads, Dips and Mixes.

UliMana Primitive Chocolate

I admire companies like UliMana that not only make delicious, wholesome foods but also contribute to the well being of their community. UliMana not only helps women of the Ashville, NC area but they also donate 5% of their net profits to humanitarian organizations. In addition to this eating their treats benefit YOUR body as well. I do not usually associate eating truffles, brownies, pecan bars etc… with good health but after reading the ingredients and just how these goodies are made rest assured they are actually good for you. Using organic, raw ingredients they hand mix and make every single batch. They get the best ingredients from around the globe all while practicing fair trade. If you are a treat lover—check this place out.

Drink No Evil

Adina Holistics has a full line of “Herbal Exlairs” aka authentically unique beverages that keep both health and flavor in mind. Their blends are inspired by recipes that use herbs to create a balancing effect on your body-- the folks over at Adina focus on reliving stress which is so prevalent for many of us. How could you be stressed when sipping on a Pomegranate Acai, Grapefruit Gogi, Mango Orange Chamomile, Honey Eucalyptus, Peach Amalaki, Blackberry Hibiscus or a Honey Lemon Aloe refreshing drink? I love, love, love the bottle with the playful monkey and peaceful tribal designs all over. They even attach informative labels to the top of the caps.

100% organic
Fair Trade

Gluten Free

Finger Lickin' Good

Sometimes I am so sad to see a food end! That was the case with my Strawberry Kettle Valley Fruit Bar. It was my “AM snack” as I like to call it… that period between breakfast and lunch when your stomach starts to rumble. I was expecting a fruit rollup consistency so I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the wrapper and a fresh strawberry smell came bursting out. Instead of a flat, sticky sheet I had a bar that was like a billion pressed strawberries filled with pieces of fruit, seeds—the whole bit. This bar surpassed my expectations. A+

Controlling Cravings Skinny Water Style

Today after I had plowed through every available snack in my arsenal at work I was so relieved that I had a Skinny Water to reach for! It just so happens that it was the “Crave Control” variety equipped with a combo of EGCG + SuperCitriMax + ChroMate to keep cravings at bay and you in the skinny. Not only did my Raspberry Pomegranate blend taste crazy good it also is fortified with Calcium and Potassium! I am looking forward to trying the other Skinny Water flavors: Acai Grape Blueberry (Hi-Energy), Orange Cranberry Tangerine (Wake Up), Peach Mango Mandarin (XXX-Detox), Gogi Fruit Punch (Shape) and Lemonade Passionfruit (Total-V). I am pretty sure they have covered all the bases!

A little dab'll do ya.

Olivella has an outstanding product line focused on providing “The All Natural Mediterranean Diet for Our Skin”. Formulated in Italy with an Olive Oil base the hand cream is rich and thick with added antioxidants, Vitamins A&E and Tocopherol. The hand cream made my hands feel moist without being oily at all, the cream soaked in my skin rapidly. The hand cream had me excited to try the Fragrance Free bar soap. My skin is SUPER sensitive and the bar was SO gentle that I even used it on my face! Generally, I use a baby type formula for washing my face to avoid breakouts but found that I could safely use this soap! Olivella is not only natural it is animal friendly which holds a huge place in my heart. They do not use any animal derived ingredients or test their products on animals.

Think Different-METROMINT

With a host of waters out there METROMINT is totally different. Cool and refreshing with a hint of mint (REAL mint grown in Washington State). They distill the leaves to achieve the freshest and most pure mint flavor and then they add the flavor essence (orange, cherry, chocolate –yes I said chocolate and lemon) to the ultra-purified water in their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Not realizing how much artificial sugar I have been consuming I was very happy to see that METROMINT does not use anything in their waters beyond the water, mint and essences! And if you aren’t dying to try it already check this out from the FAQ’s section of their website:

Why should I drink it, are there any benefits?
Refreshing cooling sensation, soothes stomach, calms, freshens breath, hydrates.

Carbon Footprints

Do you try to decrease yours? Aqua Joe has come up with a great solution to the ever growing problem of disposable drink bottles. They are horrible and so quickly used and tossed that people do not even think of the repercussions. They sit in landmines if not recycled, they take up tons of space and are just such a waste! In an effort to reduce all this waste I have started toting my own stainless steel water bottles everywhere, I love them! I just fill them up with my water and off I go. This does present a problem though if I want to drink water all day and then later on a protein shake but Aqua Joe’s totally innovative invention just solved this conundrum! Aqua Joe has created a portable scoop and dispenser designed to fill with your drink powder of choice and dump neatly into your reusable bottle. When I got it I packed my protein powder with and brought it to mix a shake post-workout. Thinking only this line of thought I was amazed when I read a little more and understood all the possibilities for others with a different lifestyle. To carry infant formula, sports drinks, nutritional supplement or just drink flavors. I can not say enough about this product. Oh and there is a handy little clip so you don’t lose your Aqua Joe in your mix of other things in your purse, bag etc…

The Stark Sisters!

They make the “Best Granola on the Planet”—let me be the judge! I am a granola freak so I don’t mind trying to determine this one bit. Since their “Original” is the “Maple Almond” variety I figured I would start there. I am a huge fan of Maple and Almonds! They slow roast this blend with oats, almonds and pure maple syrup. You can tell it is made with only the best ingredients that are necessary for energy, keeping us full, and to provide us with GOOD carbs and ESSENTIAL fats. So to the good stuff—the taste. OMG—it was hands down the crunchiest, nuttiest, most filling AND addicting granola I have ever tasted.

I still have more flavors to go including: Nutty Maple and Lo-fat Raspberry Blueberry with freeze dried berries. Yum!
PS—If you are really lucky they carry the Stark Sisters fabulous blends at your local health food store. If not, you are still in good to go—you can buy it online! Oh and their customer service is great—I talked to Debra (Stark Sister) who was very nice!

Energy for you!

Granola Gourmet makes these totally irresistible, natural granola bars. My weakness? Granola—this is the same thing just in a different format. What sets this bar apart is it is VERY soft, very thick, hearty and filling! Most bars don’t fill me up but this bar lasted me through the morning probably because it is filled with organic oats, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds and sweetened with low-GI agave and honey. They have four flavors—Spiced Orange Cranberry, Brownie, Very Berry and Chocolate Espresso.

Very Berry: Soft, moist, delicious and berry filled.
Brownie: Was my favorite but the Very Berry followed right behind. How can I resist something that is thick, oat filled, sweet and most of all rich cocoa flavored?

They included a very informative booklet with their bars giving information on sweeteners, dieting (how it is NOT possible while you are hungry contrary to popular beliefs) and relevant information from various doctors about following a healthy diet and lifestyle. I wish everyone could read this pamphlet to set some of the common myths to rest. For the meantime—visit their website for more information. Pssst—you can pick these up at Whole Foods on the West Coast or click here to find a location near you !

Olinda Ridge Olive Oil – Roasted Brussels Sprouts

If you don’t love Brussels Sprouts—something is wrong! If you have never tried them then it is time. They are a great veggie, if you prepare them right. My favorite way is to roast them with a bit of high-quality olive oil. This time I used Olinda Ridge Olive Oil and boy was it good. I just took some tin foil and put a tiny bit of the oil on the bottom and lined the sprouts up and covered them. Put them in the oven at 400 for a half an hour and they were caramelized on the bottom and so tasty! It really does make a difference in your cooking on what type of oil you use—both taste and health benefits. I like Olinda’s award winning blends because they are made in small batches from their very own organic orchards in California keeping it all natural, healthy and delicious.

You have to get your hands on these!

I am so impressed with these great cookies by Slim Secrets “Designer Cookie”. The motto is – “Designed to fill you up, not fill you out” which is exactly my intentions but usually not the case when you are eating COOKIES! Now, I am the cookie monster so most light cookies don’t impress me especially ones that brag about being filled with protein and chia seeds but I was so sad to see this end. It was the “trail mix” variety – lucky for me I have more to try at home. Oh- the whole thing only had 115 calories!

BIOselect Natural Cosmetics, Hair and Skin Care

I have a condition called Exfoliative Keratosis. It causes extreme peeling on my hands in cycles. It is horrible and painful. They do make Rx creams that you use to help during the “outbreaks” but you can not use them constantly. So there is nothing I love more than a rich and creamy hand lotion. BIOselect makes all natural skin care which I was so excited about trying. They use an old tradition of an olive oil base. Now you may be thinking that it leaves an oily film and I was unsure about the same thing but it doesn’t at all. It absorbs and leaves a protective shield feeling even through a handwash. My hands just felt silky and protected. I am also trying the Anti-ageing serum and so far LOVE it. Due to the combination of the rice proteins, co-enzyme Q10 I can really tell a difference. I am such a skeptic on this stuff but the all natural blends really do the trick. They have quite an array of products to check out!

Pizza Veggie Style!

For football Sunday we ended up making some homemade pizza. How does this look? Sautee Lightlife veggie sausage crumbles.

While that is cooking—get out your crust (you can use a crust like we did or pita bread or even English muffins). Coat with sauce of choice, sprinkle seasonings. Top with light mozzarella or veggie shreds, add some veggies (we just had mushrooms), top with Lightlife sausage. The sausage MADE the pizza. Cook at 425 for 8-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly. ENJOY!

Coupon Giveaway #1

I have a ton of great coupons to giveaway. So this is giveaway #1. All you need to do to have me mail you a bunch of great coupons is:
1. "Click -- follow me.
2. Send me an email letting me know you are entering for the giveaway-- just put Coupon #1 in the subject line. I will reply for your address if you are chosen. Next Sunday night I will pick the lucky winner. Enclosed with the coupons will be an additional TREAT!
Email me at: fitinmilwaukee@live.com

Me? Agile? No way!

Maybe now in my new Agility Pants made by Be Present. They are so super cute I would wear them anywhere. So much detail goes into this signature pant:

• Back slits
• Two front patch pockets
• Drawstring waist
• 26.25” – 27.25” inseam
• Darted knees
• Sits comfortably on the high hip, providing maximum coverage during practice
Fabric: Breathe Weave™ - a lightweight, woven fabric with stretch that dries quickly

PLUS look at the cute Be Present logo on the back of my new pants!

"Perpetual Treasure Hunt"

A quote taken directly from the Fabulous Flats website. If you can get your mitts on this flatbread do it now. It is simply the best flatbread I have ever tasted -- and for good reason. The people over at Fabulous Flats are self-proclaimed "food obsessed" (sounds kinda familiar). They pride themselves on making "authentic, all-natural, ethnically diverse flatbreads" and after trying the Naan I am sold. I have had Naan at authentic Indian restaurants and it is amazing but now I can have it at home (and control the toppings without worrying about transfats, extra oils etc). I had the multi-grain but there is a multitude of flavors. They also have pizza crusts, sandwich flats and muffins. Go to their website for inspiring recipes!

Thank you to Ayala's Herbal Water

I am so impressed by this company. First off they have very original, delicious, refreshing Herbal Waters with zero calories and they are actually healthy. Bet you that you have never tried waters like this before: Lemongrass Mint Vanilla, Lavender Mint, Lemon Verbana Geranium, Cloves Cardamom Cinnamon, Cinnamon Orange Peel and Ginger Lemon Peel. So far I have tried the Lemongrass Mint Vanilla and wow-- I can see why Ayala's will be at the fancy food show! Fancy indeed-- very classy water with a refreshing taste and great packaging. I can not wait to try the others. Water that I want to savor and enjoy-- fantastic!
Secondly, they are doing so much for the Haiti crisis-- check out their website to read more.

CheeCha!

Sounds like a dance but its a very unique tasting, gluten free, potato based snack. I was pleasantly surprised at how crunchy and satisfying these little poofs were! Very low cal-- The flavors are: Original, Sea Salt and Pepper, Sea Salt and Vinegar, Luscious Lime, Mediterranean Ginger. I ripped right into the Mediterranean Ginger ones! MMMMMMMMM! Plus its just fun to say CheeCha!!!

Tickling my funny bone and freshening my bowl!

Day after day of eating protein powder, eggs, veggies and other high fiber goodies that you see on my blog I am not going to say that my bowl does not need a refresher. I know, girls aren’t supposed to go number 2 or at the very least they are not supposed to talk about it but everyone poops! Poo-pourri not only smells great, eliminates odors but it is hilarious! Check out some stuff from their website:

Poo~Pourri bathroom spray deodorizer does more than eliminate bathroom odors - it is forever changing the bathroom experience. Just picture this...Last night's buffet was the best you ever had, but today at the office, all that eating is catching up to you. As you walk out from your second visit to the restroom, you nearly collide with the handsome lad from two offices down. You both pause, staring at each other. Just then, the door shuts behind you. A rush of bathroom air fans past. "Mmmm, citrusy," he says and walks away. You pat your purse and smile -- Poo~Pourri bathroom spray deodorizer, it keeps your dirty little secret.

Poo~Pourri toilet deodorizers work hard to eliminate bathroom odors and remove most evidence of your embarrassing moments in the bathroom. Our patent pending formula of essential oils control odor by creating a barrier that prevents embarrassing bathroom smells from every escaping the toilet. We make sure that the stinky poop smell isn't something you've left behind. So go ahead, let others think your poop doesn't stink- maybe even convince them it smells pretty nice?

More great things about Poo-pourri: it a secret blend of essential oils safe for the planet and your bowl, it makes a GREAT GIFT and most of all gets rid of your stinky poop odor! They have a 30-day money back guarantee so what do you have to loose?

Charitable Fashion

Eco Friendly fashion is the new thing! Five Accessories has a fair trade organization that makes fashionable accessories and handbags and raises money via income generating programs for those in need. Not only do you help those in need you get to wear or use something super cute! I will be sporting this Pop Top Bracelet made with pop tops looped together with green and brown ribbons handmade by a lovely woman from the Street Wise group in Chicago. My bracelet also came with a picture and story of her, and her signature which was such a personal touch. Makes a great gift for a friend or yourself and helps someone along the way! Please check out their website, its such a great cause. Thank you to Five Accessories for creating such a great program.

The Mariani Family

They have been in business for four generations making the highest quality dried fruit snacks. That is what I have always recognized the name for-- namely the dried plums aka prunes. Little did I know that they had so many other snacks and they are just as great as the prunes! Not a prune fan? Well then can I interest you in some: Apricots, Mixed Fruit, Sliced Apples, Harvest Medley, Berries, Cranberries, Wild Blueberries,Cherries, Strawberries, Berries n' Cherries, Berries 'N Apples, Island Fruits, Philippine Mango, Tropical Pineapple, Tropical Medley, Banana Chips, Mango, Pineapple Tango, Vanilla Raisins, Chocolate Raisins, HoneyBars, Raisins, Dates and finally Sun-Dried Tomatoes. Now if there is not something in that list that you want to gobble right up then something is seriously wrong! I was very surprised to see all these great items. I dug right into the berries-- top of the line quality fruit. Then I had a Honey Bar (the Trail Mix one) and omg! It was amazing! You can get a lot of the Mariani items at your favorite store or order directly from their website and save yourself a trip! I just love when my mail person brings me goodies!

Getting Cozy with a good laugh

Branching out from just food -- I like to show my recent online finds! What is better than shopping from the comfort of your own home? Not too much but maybe the shirts from Crazy Dog Tshirts. Super soft and cozy and not to mention hilarious! I am going to miss my Jersey Shore friends so in memory of the great show I had to honor the “fist pump”! I got this from Crazy Dog:

And one from Nacho Ma's Tees! HA!

They both have novelty, vintage, funny t's and will even make custom t-shirts. All for very reasonable prices. You have to check back daily because they do a shirt of they day for only 6 bucks!

Good Fortunes and Soda Pop

It must be my taste buds good fortune to come across so many good drinks lately! I have just discovered that soda can be micro-brewed, healthy and natural all at the same time. I would consider myself a recovering diet soda addict. I slip quite a bit especially when I see something new or an exciting flavor! With Virgil’s I do not have to even fight my temptation since they are healthy and all natural. They micro-brew all their yummy sodas with herbs, spices and natural sweeteners. They even add dietary supplements into the mix! If that didn't knock your socks right off they have more- Colas, Cream Soda, Cherry Cream Soda, Orange Cream Soda and a whole other line of traditional Jamaican Ginger brews-- Original Ginger, Extra Ginger (for the serious Ginger lover), Premium ginger (sweetened with honey and pineapple juice), Raspberry Ginger, Spiced Apple and but certainly not least CHERRY Ginger brew (YYUUUMMMMMMMMMMMY!). For brewing 101 visit their website. They really know their stuff, I learned quite a bit!

Tropical Fruit

I know, you don't think of an apple as tropical until you try the new breed-- Piñata! It is a cross between Golden Delicious, Cox's Orange Pippin and the Duchess of Oldenburg varieties. It is firm, with a bit of a crunch, reddish outside and a creamy white inside. VERY sweet, unique and delicious. If you want to get your hands on your own Piñata the growing rights in the United States belong exclusively to Stemlit -- check it out and their website

What's your flavor?

When it comes to nuts, seeds, trail mixes -- I am a GeorgeHowe HUGE fan! That is why it was a magical moment when I opened my mail yesterday. Waiting for me was 6 pounds of various nuts and trail mixes that had arrived at my door, quickly and with fantastic customer service. The selection on the George Howe Coffee Candy Nuts website is ginormous! They have roasted nuts, flavored nuts, raw nuts, salted, unsalted, toasted, mixed, imported, USA products, in shells, out of shells, seeds, trail mixes, dried fruits not to mention the selection of candies and coffees. So lets get to the good stuff-- here is what I got:


1 pound raw almonds
1 pound raw cashews (these were enormous)
1 pound raw walnuts
1 pound raw pecans
1 pound trail mix (raisins, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, papaya, pineapple)

1 pound cranberry nut mix (peanuts, raisins, cranberries, almonds, honey sesame sticks, sesame seeds and various seasonings

I can not say enough about the quality of what I got. The nuts were huge, whole and fresh. The trail mixes are perfectly mixed and also very fresh. AND something unexpected about this website is the prices, very very reasonable. Check it out for yourself and get your own bag!

Not just hand-made

Hand-seeded, Hand-boiled and Hand-baked all-natural, deliciously fresh Finagle A Bagel. Premium quality bagels baked to a seductively golden brown brimming with your palates distinctive flavor choices from the simple plain bagel to Cinnamon Raisin, Whole Wheat, Sesame, Egg, Onion, Blueberry, Chunky Vegetable, Chocolate Chip, Honey Grain, Jalapeño, Everything, Poppy and Marble! Wow! That is a mouthful-- literally-- these bagels are huge and they pack them with only chunks of whole fruits and high quality ingredients. There has been no shortchanging on these bagels that they make daily, did I mention its by-hand?

Island Pleasures

What could be better than being shipped away to an island for a short break... a pick me up... For now, imagine yourself on a beautiful island lush with green plants, bright flowers and blue waters all bordered by pure white sands. On this island, the people are pure and their food is too. They have access to the antioxidant rich, energy enhancing and feel good food that the tropics offers. I am talking about the Polynesian Island of Bora Bora. Inspired by all the beauty that the island offered the company Bora Bora was born and offers us Organic, Vegan, Kosher, Gluten Free bars that give us our own taste of the tropics. They have three families built around the important benefits that good food offers: Antioxidant-live Long, Superfood-Feel Great and Energy-Get Going. Then a multitude of flavors from this unblemished land. Including: Island Brazil Nut Almond, Tribal Cinnamon Oatmeal, Volcanic Chocolate Banana, Exotic Coconut Almond, Tropical Sesame Cranberry, Wild Pomegranate Pecan, Native Acai Walnut, Tiki Blueberry Flax, Pacific Mango Macadamia and Paradise Walnut Pistachio.

Ripping open this sensationally sticky bar I was in awe of the giant pieces of walnuts and pistachios. Not only did this bar float me away to my own personal island for a little while the flavor just knocked my socks off. As far as nutty bars goes this bar is unquestionably the best I have ever had. From reading up on their website I see they are coming out with even more dreamy items so keep checking back and see what else they come up with.

Nice Buns!

The Ozery Bakery makes these awesome multi-grain buns called "One Bun". Not only are they adorable-- they taste delightful and would be a favorite for even the most discerning bun connoisseur. I knew that I had to try one of these right away so for dinner I had a boca burger (vegan style) with a slice of vegan cheddar, some crisp lettuce all atop the One Bun. I think since the bun had a more flat shape than the traditional bun you could use it for many things -- sandwiches, as toast, mini pizzas. They have more mouth watering ideas on their website (plus a store locator).

Fizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

My cup of coffee this AM was replaced with the exciting fizz of Hi Ball Energy Sparkling Water. Nothing like getting your water in while reaping the morning benefits of caffeine plus some taurine, guarana, ginseng and b-vitamins. This wild berry delight was so smooth and the taste makes it king of the water world. I am not sure how they put together this 5 star drink with only 10 little calories and no sugar! I left the bottle sitting on my desk because it is so retro and cute!

"Naturally Healthy Naturally Delicious"

Thats the logo of Goldbaums gluten free, all-natural treats! They have a very diverse line of products. I would like to start with my favorite the brown rice noodles. I love incorporating brown rice into my diet and their noodles give me the chance to do that but with more fun than traditional brown rice. I did not know exactly what to expect since I pictured them being very chewy like rice but the texture is exactly what you would expect from great pasta! I made a recipe JUST for these noodles:
Peanut Brown Rice Noodles
Since the noodles were brown rice based I thought a peanut sauce thai type sauce would go perfectly with them! And I was right-- Take desired amount of brown rice noodles and boil for about 12 minutes or until they reach the consistency that you like. Dry them off well so the sauce sticks good and prepare your sauce by first sauteing a few scallions in olive oil or cooking spray then adding a tablespoon of peanut butter until it is well melted. When the peanut butter is ready add a tablespoon of low-sodium soy sauce and a dash of milk for creaminess. After the sauce is ready stir well with your noodles and sprinkle with chopped peanuts if desired.
(Many possible add ins: meat eaters could add some chicken, faux chicken strips, tofu, snap peas, broccoli, sub cashew nut butter and cashews or almond nut butter and almonds) Here is a pic trying to capture the texture:

I love products that are prepared using minimal ingredients and ones that I can pronounce. In this line there are also rice crisp crackers, rice chips and last but NOT least-- Ice Cream Cones! I love Ice Cream Cones-- who doesn't? But I love them plain like a cookie. These are gluten free and very low calorie perfect for snacking. I like to use them for little cups and fill them with nontraditional foods and then eat the cone later, they measure out great portion sizes. Today my cone is filled with trail mix! Iam going to use a couple of the sugar cones to ADD to my trail mix broken up, they are so delicious and not just for kids!

And the prize goes to...

Designer Whey! They have a big selection of superlative products that are simply said- top of the line. Protein powders for weight control, convenient packets with only 60 calories, protein waters-- its all so convenient. You have NO excuse to grab fast food while you are on the go! I love, love, love their Weight Control Protein Supplement in Chocolate. It is very low in calories and makes a superb protein brownie (my afternoon pick me up). If you are watching calorie intake I recommend giving the Weight Control powders a try.

Going green in the Kitchen!

I am so impressed with the CSN sites. I have been looking to replace my overused 12" pan that I use constantly and went to one of their 200 retailers and I finally chose this pan: http://www.cookware.com/Anolon-82249-ANN1320.html
I am so excited and will keep everyone posted on its arrival the second it is in my mailbox and tell you how much I love it! Check out the specifications:

Designed for cooks who appreciate the best in materials and aesthetics, the Ultimate Pan has sloped sides that allow for fast rotating or stirring of ingredients. The shape is similar to a salad bowl to allow for easy tossing of food. The nonstick surface makes cleanup effortless, while the glass lid allows constant monitoring of cooking foods without losing heat or moisture.
Features:
Restaurant tested by professional chefs

Twice as hard as stainless steel, this hard-anodized construction is preferred for its extraordinary durability and fast and even heating, reducing “hot spots” that can burn foods.

Color-coordinating Anolon SureGrip® handles are a comfortable combination of stainless steel and silicone

The graceful tulip shape brings a touch of elegance to any kitchen. Break resistant glass lids allow constant monitoring of cooking foods without losing heat or moisture.
Break-resistant 
Dimensions: 12"
Material: Hard-anodized aluminum
Cleaning Care: Hand-wash
Lifetime limited warranty

The Dinner Bell

Dinners are a huge deal to me. It signals the time to relax, the end of your day and a great meal. Every night I try and prepare balanced meals from clean, wholesome ingredients-- this takes time and frankly, its my hobby! There are some nights though when preparing big dinners is not an option-- the nights run late and whipping up dinner is more of a necessity than anything else. I still want whatever I eat to fit into my healthy,balanced, nutrient rich criteria though oh and it can't be left sitting on my hips either! So I tried out a couple new dishes -- here are some that I LOVED (from your grocers freezer):

Blue Horizon Organic Spring Rolls- Just pop in the oven and flip once- so good did not even need sauce! The outsides were crunchy and insides filled with veggies mmmmmmmmm!

Rising Moon Organics Pasta- Dump desired amount in skillet and let it simmer for a bit (a big bowl for only 210 calories and its pasta), the asparagus was firm and the portabella mushrooms still tasted fresh! Excellent.