Down on the Farm

Belmont Peanuts makes fabulously gourmet Virginia Peanuts and peanut treats. If you are a nut lover you know that a peanut is not just a peanut—same goes with all other nuts. You can tell the quality by the size, freshness, color and mostly the taste. These Virginia Peanuts are giant, smooth and creamy. When you order these nuts and other goodies you are getting this directly from the families farm to your doorstep. Located in the "Heart of Peanut Country.", they grow their peanuts with pride and tradition. To the good stuff- I had an array of their nut-licious treats including the original Virginia Peanut, Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle, Chocolate Covered Peanut Brittle, Cashews and Brazil Nuts. In addition they have chocolate covered, cinnamon coated, butter toasted, spiced and red skin peanuts. The array of products is huge and each thing I tried impressed me more than the rest. The peanut brittle was buttery and delicious, then the chocolate coated variety one-upped that even. When I was perusing their website I saw that they have a year-long gift pack—wow is all I can say. It would be perfect for anyone on your list, I know I would be smitten all year long with this!

Send a 22 oz. gift from down on the farm and delight that special someone with a delicious taste from the country once a month! Each month, a different flavor will be chosen as shown below and shipped the first Monday of the month along with your gift message. You place the order and we will take care of the rest-all year long!
December-Chocolate Covered Peanuts
January- Cinnamon Frosted Pecans
February- Chocolate Covered Brittle
March- Butter Toasted Peanuts
April- Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle
May- Cashews
June- BBQ Spiced Peanuts
July- Cajun Spiced Peanuts
August- Redskin Peanuts
September- Honey Roasted Peanuts
October- Salted Peanuts
November- Peanut Squares
YUM!!!!!

Let me eat CAKE!

Friday just was my lucky day. I got CAKE in the mail. I am a cake lover—who isn’t? Ever since I got back from vacation I have loved Rum cakes. Rum cakes are actually an old fashioned cake using simple but fine ingredients like creamery butter, aged vanilla bean, and the smoothest of dark rums that appeal to my inner foodie! J. Marie cakes come in three delectable and very different flavors: Vanilla Butter Rum, Chocolate Butter Rum and Limoncello. They are all the perfect balance of very moist, dense cake with rich undertones of rum and either vanilla, chocolate or lemon. The vanilla and chocolate were exactly what I expected but better. I was unsure of how the lemon would taste but it was actually a vanilla flavored cake with the perfect accent of lemon—all the creamy, moist, dense deliciousness was there plus some. The chocolate won my heart—dark chocolate lovers dream come true.

Pure Energy

I got these great energy bar bites from KD Energy in all four flavors including: PB&J, Lemon Zest, Mint Chip and my favorite ChocoNut. The energy bites name is totally appropriate considering the main ingredients are nuts, fruits, raw dates, protein powder and sweetened with Stevia for the perfect high energy combination! The bite size is a perfect mouthful and just about anyone can enjoy them since they are all-natural, gluten free and vegan! They are excellent just on their own or top your favorite yogurt with them!

underWAY

There is an exclusive beverage on the market that I just learned about. It is called underWAY and not only does it taste dreamy it is an appetite suppressant. The drink works by curbing your hunger in two ways—it is specially formulated to slow down absorption of what is already in your stomach and its unique ingredients stimulate your stomach telling your brain that you have consumed more calories than you really have. Does it work? I am not sure! I had it with a pack of multi-grain crackers this morning with some peanut butter and I did feel fuller longer. I really did enjoy the Orange taste and appreciated the nutritionals. The entire bottle only had 20 calories and contained B vitamins to boot. Would I drink it again? You bet.

Soft, Chewy Perfection

Those are the best words I can think of to describe Laura’s Wholesome Junk Food cookies. I can hardly believe that these rich cookies are actually a healthy treat, made guilt free using Dr. Laura’s (she is a physician) recipes that she created with her mother growing up. Each cookie that I tried had a unique and distinct flavor to it that totally satisfied my raging sweet tooth. I love that they understand the importance of being able to enjoy sweet treats without spiking your sugar, only setting you up for that dreaded sugar crash (a very addicting cycle). Laura’s WJF calls their decadent cookies “bite-lettes” and packs them with the purest ingredients like whole grains, fruits and natural sweeteners. There are six regular flavors including: Anna Banana Split, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, X-Treme Fudge, Lemon Vanilla, and Grandma’s Gingerbread. And three gluten free flavors: Charlotte’s Chocolate Chip, Better Brownie, and Cole’s Cashew. (Coming soon: Mint Double Fudge!) Now, I was fortunate and got to try the Mint Double Fudge. The combo is amazing. The perfect amount of Fudge flavor accented with a hint of mint in the same chewy, sin-free cookie format. I loved the uniqueness of the Anna Banana Split cookie—a banana flavored cookie with slivers of unsweetened coconut – yum! I did try to pick a favorite and it is a toss up between the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip (oats, chocolate chips, and a hint of orange) OR the Xtreme Chocolate Fudge (rich chocolate fudge flavor in a bite-lette). You can order these online or pick them up in stores. I was lucky enough to spot these in the bakery section of my WF’s store. I picked up another container of the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip because I have a new addiction—taking these and crumbling them into greek yogurt and freezing the concoction like ice cream—but much better!

I just wanted to mention one more thing-- Dr. Laura is coming out with a cookbook very soon and it will be exclusive to desserts and they will all be healthier versions of your favorites. Watch their website very closely for the premiere!

Not your Coach’s Oats!

These are not just any oats! Literally, these oats are different from any you have had before. So many people don’t eat oatmeal because of the texture but I challenge them to try Coach’s Oats. In search of an oatmeal that was not soggy or had a pasty consistency they decided to make their own starting at the beginning with whole grain oats then using their own patented processes to make it fantastic. I tried the original Coach’s Oats: COACH'S OATS are prepared in an entirely new way. The groats are toasted to bring the natural sugars to the surface of the oat, then cracked into small pieces. This patented Cracked n' Toasted™ process means that Coach's Oats are never mushy, always naturally delicious and cook in just five minutes on a stovetop or in the microwave. I always choose to cook my oats on the stovetop because I love them cooking while I am getting ready in the morning and it is so simple. These oats were very different in my opinion—they stayed hearty and had a great chewy texture—I could actually distinguish the oats from my mixture ( I add egg whites, cocoa powder or cinnamon etc ). Their process also gave the oats a unique nutty taste to them that I fell in love with. These oats would also be great for baking recipes. I always eat my oats sweet but recently read about people eating oats as a savory side dish or baked into casseroles. I will have to give this a shot since oatmeal is by far my favorite grain.

Headliners—New Healthy Indulgences

Finally, a healthy flavored yogurt has come onto the market! Stonyfield makes my favorite line of Greek Yogurt to begin with, the Oikos line which includes: strawberry, honey, blueberry, vanilla, plain and now introducing Caramel and Chocolate! I am always adding mix-ins to my yogurt but with these new varieties I have no need! Now, I have looked at all the typical flavored yogurts and their nutritionals compare more to a dessert than a healthy snack or meal-time addition. Not something you would want in your daily diet but these are very different—packed with protein and low on calories all while getting a thick, chocolate yogurt. The sweetness of the yogurt was perfect as well as the chocolate flavor—all very balanced. The Caramel, although second to the chocolate for my taste buds, is also excellent. High in protein and flavor it is creamy and delicious. I mixed this one up and stuck it in the freezer for a ice cream like treat.

Fig ‘n Nuts

Damn—I love granola and I especially love the Fig ‘n Nuts granola by The Best Damn Granola Company! This granola is the original released by The Best Damn Granola Company and makes sense why they can hail themselves the best! The Fig ‘n Nut variety had a different taste than what I was used to with a granola. It had a spicy flair to it and played off the sweet and salty combination which everyone loves. The granola had an oat base and was sweetened with honey and fruit including figs and raisins. To beef it up they added oat bran, protein powder, flax, nuts and coconut. Then as a great finisher they spiced it up with their spice mix, some vanilla and a touch of sea salt. Decadently original.

Maitelates

What is Maitelates? Well, I can not tell you just how to pronounce it but I can tell you it is a grown up version of a dipped cookie filled with Dulce de Leche. The Dulce de Leche is the hit of this gourmet treat, surrounded by shortbread cookies and topped with Belgian Chocolate. What did I think of these cookies? I loved them. Elegant and sophisticated all while tasting amazing. Each one was individually wrapped holding the beautifully crafted delicate cookie. The equilibrium of the creamy filling, buttery cookies and rich chocolate was perfectly habit forming.

Save your skin with the sea!

H20+ makes a cool lineup of sea-derived skin care products that totally rejuvenate and replenish your skin. Not only do I love their Oasis line, you will too because it works wonderfully by keeping your skin hydrated like its never been before—its like drinking water but just for your skin! These specialized blends use Sea Mineral Complex, Hydrating Marine Algae and a Multi-Vitamin Complex all to keep your skin fresh and glowing. This extensive product line includes everything from: Hydrating Treatments, Cleansing Water, Shine Neutralizing Gel, Hydrating Booster, Oxygenating Rejuvenator, Eye Oasis, Face Oasis with SPF, Energizing Enzyme Mask, Oasis Mist and a whole Body Oasis. I am sure they left nothing out! You should get your hands on these great products—either online, they have their own retail stores (if you are lucky enough to live by one) and at Ulta.

ActiVate Your Senses

I am so intrigued by the new 100% natural sweetener that is now on the market—Erythritol with zero calories so that is why I really wanted to get my mitts on the new actiVwater. This new water is a “breakthrough in hydration” and not only keeps you refreshed it also has vitamins and antioxidants all wrapped up in only 25 calories per serving. I love that their drink line is divided into “Functions” including: balance, energy, essential-e, focus, fuel, resist, vigor and wake up! They all taste phenomenal too!

A Kernel Of Truth

Popcorn, Indiana makes well—popcorn! But its not just any popcorn it is freshly popped, all natural whole grains. Popcorn, Indiana is known for my favorite kind of popcorn—their Kettle Corn. There is nothing quite like Kettle Corn with its satisfying blend of sweet & salty, no matter what snacking mood you are in it takes care of it! Enjoy your Popcorn, Indiana—it has a low calorie count and makes a great snack. Kettle Corn not your thing? They have other flavors like their new Cinnamon Sugar, Movie Theatre, Aged White Cheddar, Smoked Cheddar, Buffalo Cheddar and Sea Salt.

2 ½ hours of Full Protection

Antheros has created SilvaPlex which is an all natural hand sanitizer that will last for 2 ½ hours after applying. Being career minded working 50-60 hours a week and going to the gym up to 10 hours a week, I come in contact with a lot of different germs and microorganisms. SilvaPlex is so compact and small that I take it everywhere; to work, the gym, shopping, the movies, wherever I go SilvaPlex goes. This hand sanitizer is alcohol free so instead of drying out your skin it moisturizes your skin leaving your skin soft and smooth instead of rough and hard.

Relaxing Aroma

Check this out,

 it’s called a scentball from Hubmar. How does it work? All you have to do is take a scentball pad, put 3 to 5 drops of scented oil from Dropwise Essentials on the pad, place the pad in the ball and plug it in the wall. I plugged the ball in an outlet in my living room and I could smell the aroma throughout the entire house. If you want the smell to be preeminent put a few more drops of oil on the pad before placing the pad in the ball. Hubmar has created a scentball for both 110 and 220 volts. Dropwise Essentials has a variety of citrus oils and 5 essential oils including; Lavender, Tea Tree, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, and Geranium. I plug in my scentball in the morning so I can feel relaxed as soon as I walk through the door after a hard days work.

Flipped For Dipped!

Its so refreshing to see something original and innovative on the market that tastes even better than it looks. Frankie’s Fruit & Chocolate makes totally irresistible hand dipped dried fruits in high quality dark chocolate—like mango, pineapple, apricots and banana strips.

The Frankie’s product I am most in love with are their “Circles”. I have never seen anything quite like them before and let me tell you— I love them! They start with handcrafted circles of dark or white chocolate in either Trail Mix (diced apricots & pineapple, golden and dark raisins, cranberries & roasted almonds), Tropical Fruit (diced pineapple & papaya, crunchy banana chips & roasted macadamia nuts) and Classic (golden raisins & roasted peanuts). Want me to pick a favorite? NOPE—I love them all. These go on my favorite list!

Sun-kissed

One of the great things about the summer is that glow that you get on your skin and how it leaves the need for make up behind. My summer routine is very simple—a little gloss + mascara = done! Recently I found the perfect summer-time gloss to complete my look. It is by Primitive Makeup and the color is: Ibiza and it is a beautiful copper shimmer. Just what you need for summer—the best part is this gloss goes on very smooth and isn’t sticky. Picture those summer nights, your hair blowing in the wind—NOT stuck on your lips! Nice! The whole line looks gorgeous and all the colors are very classy and natural looking. The idea of the Primitive Makeup line is to “create an exceptional, natural line of makeup — one that would be sophisticated in its quality, performance, color, packaging, and presentation. For us, it is essential that the makeup line be 100% all natural, made entirely of naturally occurring ingredients, with no synthetics, additives, or preservatives.” Go online and find your natural lip match now! I am ALL about putting healthy things in your body, on your body and in your home.

NRG- Pure Energy

I love where their head is at over at Pure NRG. The name is great and I had the chance to try their awesome brownie bars and other treats packed with unique, healthy ingredients like Coconut Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Tapioca Flour, Hemp Protein, Agave Nectar, Xylitol, Olive Oil, Quinoa Flour and Chia Seeds. These gluten free treats also have no animals products, are naturally sweetened and high in fiber. Even better—their taste. The blueberry brownie bar is heaven in the shape of a square. Fresh baked, fudge-y and freckled with blueberries these treats are a good treat fix as a snack or as a small meal replacer. The blueberry bar isn’t the only great item they make—I am very much looking forward to the classic chocolate + peanut butter combo they have but they also make an array of other nutrient packed, good for you items.

Cherries, Cherries and more Cherries!

You have a couple of options here but I suggest you pick at least one of the following. Stop by one King’s Orchard family farms in Michigan (you can find their two locations online) or just start clicking to get your hands on their amazing cherry and cherry infused products including-- tart cherry juice, dried cherries, cherry capsules, jams, trail mixes, chocolate covered cherries and even salsas! The dark chocolate cherries are unbeatable. I have never had anything like it before. The cherries were perfectly sweet and really gave a nice flavor to the thick dark chocolate draped on top. They were gooey and chewy, simple and just plain delicious.

The dried cherries are the best I have ever had. Very tender and such a great tart flavor that you expect from a fresh cherry. These are great straight out of the bag or as a topping on just about anything from cereal to salads to ice cream.

Here is what you have to log on for-- Nuts About Cherries Trail Mix: A Delicious Mix of Dried Cherries, Nuts and a Bit of Berry. Makes a great trail mix on its own, or is an excellent crunchy-salty-sweet topping on salads. Ingredients: Sweetened Dried Cranberries, Roasted Salted Natural Almonds, Roasted Salted Pecans, Sweetened Dried Tart Cherries, Sweetened Dried Blueberries.

Peter Rabbit

The easter bunny sent me an early present! Okay—so it wasn’t the easter bunny but really Marich Confectionary company but it sure seemed like the easter bunny had arrived early with a huge array of treats! They have a ton of candy on their website and all of it is top quality and packaged beautifully for gift giving or just to enjoy yourself. It is rare that you eat jelly beans but with their gourmet flavors you will want to eat them year round (order online and you can).

Lets get down to the chocolates! Marich Confectionary makes the best selection of sugar-free chocolates that I have ever seen and some of the best I have ever tasted. I was lucky enough to try the Sugar free dark chocolate espresso beans, Sugar free milk chocolate caramels, sugar free double dipped chocolate coated macadamias and last but not least sugar free mocha almonds. All were delectable and I would never know they were sugar free—just gourmet chocolates. I consider myself a chocolate connoisseur and know these are some of the best!

Light up your life!

Okay—lets be honest… I did not even know there was such a thing as organic wax! And when making your candle purchases you could go organic. All I knew was that when I got my candles from Lumia they smelled amazingly delicious and looked gorgeous in their cracked glass holders. Later I learned that each candle is made from organic soybeans grown by organic farmers, made into organic candle waxes! In addition, they only use cotton wicks and since the wax is totally biodegradable it will clean up easily with just soapy water. I can not tell you how many times I have had a hard to clean up, waxy mess! The smells come directly from essential oils and the fragrances last and last. Here are the ones I got:

Lemongrass Bergamot is a fresh combination of essential oils of Lemongrass and Bergamot. Color is yellow.
Lavender Love is a calming combination of essential oils of Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Orange Peel. Color is purple.
(Loved them both but forced in a corner to pick—Lemongrass! Fresh and clean!

Days Ago, Weeks Ago, Months Ago….

Have you ever opened a canned good, used a quarter of the jar put the cap back on and threw it in the refrigerator. Two weeks later you need to use the item again and you are wondering how long it’s been opened. Well I have multiple times. Wonder no more because Days Ago has solved our answers for us with their digital day counter. These day counters are very handy and small enough that you can put them on anything and they don’t take up much space. These counters have a magnetic and suction backing to attach to most surfaces. Not only can you use these day counters in the kitchen but I used mine to track the number of days until I have to clean my furnace filter instead of keeping a manual written log. This product is so unique it has been featured on Oprah; you really should have checked it out Days Ago!!!

Perfectly Portable Lunch

I am constantly searching for easy, healthy items to bring to work for lunch. Both my health, nor my wallet can afford to eat out so I always bring my lunch. I recently stumbled upon these pre-cooked rice bowls by Gogo Rice Organic. It is all pre-prepared and ready to be heated in the microwave. Just peel the top off and enjoy! You can add a little sauce, bring leftovers to top it with etc… So good! Today I just had one of my jumbo veggie dogs with a brown rice bowl and had the perfect lunch! Minsley (the makers of Gogo Rice Bowls) only selects natural and organic rice ingredients. The way they package and prepare the bowls you are ready to eat in the self-serving package in only 90 seconds without even having to add water. I just had to fluff up with my fork a little bit and it was like perfectly cooked brown rice. I can not wait to try the Rice Medley that has brown rice, wild rice and red rice!

A Nightly Ritual

And a darn good one! I end my night with chocolate. I believe that every single person should do the same! I opened my assorted box of Artisan, hand-crafted chocolates by Derry Church and let myself slip into a chocolate paradise. In my box, was an assortment of whites, milks and darks all cleverly named after cities and inspired by them as well. They represented flavors of the world. The “London” jumped out at me immediately and I was in a delirious state in just moments. It was a slim but rich, buttery piece of toffee that literally melted in my mouth. It was engulfed in their 70% bittersweet chocolate and topped in crushed almonds. Order some now- they make each batch as your order them so you get your fancy chocolates as fresh as possible!

“Clean” Pizza

Sounds like an oxymoron but it is possible. When you take a Clean Cravings crust and top it with fresh, authentic sauce from Bella Cucina Artful Foods Pomodoro’s Pizza Sauce and then add some fresh mozzarella, veggies and a dabble of meat (or not). You come out with a very healthy, craving-worthy creation. So here is mine:

I loved, loved, loved the sauce on this pizza. I can not say this enough. It is a rare occasion when I make a homemade pizza and have pizza sauce to use that is an actual dedicated pizza sauce. The Pomodoro Pizza Sauce is a classic, handmade sauce that has the perfect mixture of Italian tomatoes and herbs. Not only does Bella Cucina have pizza sauce they have a bunch of other Italian blends to help you get creative in the kitchen. I have Artichoke Pesto Sauce of theirs next in my queue.

A little about Clean Cravings—they make crusts that are pure and simple—gluten free, vegan, soy-dairy-yeast free, no trans fat, whole grains, all natural and turn out totally delicious! They have a variety of “just crusts” for you to work with but they also have actual pizzas. I did sample the Perfectly Pesto Pizza and it was delicious! All it was—a thin, crunchy crust topped with pesto, mushrooms and pinenuts! Yummmmm!

Cult Classic

Not only has Coco Wheats made its name as an old classic cereal but it is showing up everywhere—even on vintage looking t-shirts. The other day I was just strolling through the mall and I saw a girl rocking a cute vintage looking Coco Wheats shirt! You know that it much be good if people are praising their cereal love on a shirt. What could go wrong though? Coco + cereal = My favorites! Coco Wheats did not disappoint! I realized something when I was making my Coco Wheats on the stovetop— I make my own version of this multiple times per week. I will use any sort of hot grain and add cocoa powder to it. But this was even better and SO EASY. I have a passion for cereal on the stovetop but it is totally not necessary for this—you can just stick your hot cereal in the microwave. Of course when I made it I added some extras to it like egg whites for protein but the great cocoa flavor came right though. It is enriched with Calcium with everyone can use—and is made with wheat and pure cocoa—they do not add sugar or salt.

KOOKA WHO??????

I have about 20 different fleece blankets around my house and ever single one of them has been washed a least once. After washing a fleece whether it’s a shirt, blanket, towel, or jacket, it pills up. You know those annoying little balls all over the item that makes it look like you’ve worn it every day for an entire year. I received a new fleece jacket from my employer as a gift this spring and I had to wash it for the first time. Instead of using the name brand soaps I used Kookaburra Wash it’s made with tea tree oil and lanolin. Kookaburra wash was so delicate that my fleece jacket still looks and feels brand new after washing. Only a few pills, 2 to be exact. I will be using this product for all my blankets going forward; hopefully I can revive them to their soft plush feeling again. Kookaburra is a pure planet concentrate that can be used for hand washing and in wash machines. Thanks Kookaburra for keeping my fleece items fluffy and de-pilled.

J-Burger in the house!

So what is J-Burger? It is much more than a burger sauce—that is for sure! It is a very versatile sauce and/ or seasoning to add to your favorite meal to make it much more flavorful and if you are using meat—juicer! The reason I say IF you are using it on meat is that I intend to try this on oven tofu. So back to the J-Burger Original Onion sauce—it is made with real pieces of onion, plus their special blend of herbs and spices. They have a suggested use of adding it to your favorite ground meat to make burgers, meatloaf or meatballs. I made a meatloaf and it was outrageously yummy. The nice part about this was that it really simplified adding a bunch of seasonings and fresh onions to my meatloaf mixture. Here is all I did:

½ pound ground turkey
½ pound lean ground sirloin
1 ½ cups cornbread mix (Little Crow Foods—I use this versus breadcrumbs for a sweet flavor)
1 cup egg substitute (or 3 beaten eggs)
½ cup J-Burger Sauce (Original Onion)
½ cup water
Spray or oil pan and stick in oven that is preheated to 400 degrees. Let cook until done and set in the middle (usually about an hour). Then top with your sauce of choice!

Hummus

I know I regularly give props to Athenos but its because I love their Greek style products. I am hooked on my new “Greek Salad” that I started eating a few weeks ago with their reduced fat feta crumbles and now they have me STUCK on the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. I was ALWAYS a plain hummus girl but now I have been converted. The kick of the red peppers roasted into the creamy chickpeas and olive oil is just perfect on crackers, on top of salads or with raw veggies. MMMM! I am so glad that I changed my routine up a little bit and tried this.

A REALLY WILD

Soap Bar! The company “A Wild Soap Bar” makes a line of soap that is wildly natural. I got my rose bar and was amazed at how great it smelled, the beautiful shade of pink but most of all – the contents! This bar was bursting with real pieces of rose petals. It smelled great when using it and had natural exfoliating properties due to the ingredients. All handmade and natural, it really makes your skin feel GOOD.

Bean there, done that

Now I can say I have used FRESH vanilla beans! Not that I don’t love my old vanilla extracts but this was so cool and oh so tasty. I had to do quite a bit of research to know what to do with the vanilla beans that I got fresh from Beanilla. At Beanilla, they sell 100% Certified Organic Vanilla Beans and the quality is Grade A. Grade A is measured by the beans’ moisture content, bean length and condition of the bean. So now—what am I going to do with all these beans?! Not to worry—these top notch beans will remain ready to enjoy for a very long time by wrapping them in wax paper or plastic wrap then storing in an airtight container. Now what to do with the beans? Just about anything. By splitting the bean open properly you will be presented with a fresh vanilla paste from inside the bean. Take a sharp knife and cut the ends off, then cut the bean lengthwise and scrape out the paste. Totally simple! My first experience using my beans I did keep it simple—I made a vanilla “milkshake”, here is what I did:

Scraped the contents of one Beanilla Vanilla bean, and added it to the blender with—1/2 cup cottage cheese (sounds strange promise its great), couple packets sweetener, milk of choice, couple of ice cubes – get to blending! – Note: It will turn out darker than your average vanilla milk shake because you are using REAL vanilla!