Fun Saturday Night Snack

One of the best Christmas gifts we received this year was a Bella brand air-popped popcorn maker.  It is so easy to use and the kids think it is hilarious watching the popcorn fly out of the machine.  You can melt the butter or margarine on top while the popcorn is cooking.  I am so happy with the money we are saving too!  I bought a bag of white kernels for $1.39 at the store and can easily make 15 "bags" worth of popcorn with that.  Popcorn is a great snack, with only an average of 31 calories per cup of air-popped popcorn!  Thanks Russ & Cindy for the wonderful Christmas gift!  The family has enjoyed it so much and I would suggest this as a gift for anyone looking to get something fun or thoughtful for others!

Homemade Oven Sweet Potato Fries

I have been looking at 3 sweet potatoes in my kitchen for a few days.  Originally, I had planned to bake them whole, but then was inspired to try out some homemade sweet potato fries!  It was super easy to do and the entire family loved them.  Sweet Potatoes are high in Beta-Carotene, which can be converted to Vitamin A in your body & has shown to be protective against cancers, along with reducing the rate of heart disease.  Here is what I did:

• I took my 3 sweet potatoes and cut them into strips.  I found that the more traditional "french fry" shape baked the best in the oven.  The thicker cut strips were borderline soggy.
• I brushed the sweet potatoes with about 3 TBSP of an olive oil/canola oil blend.
• I then added 1 TBSP of garlic salt, 2 TBSP of oregano, & shook it all up in this container:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and place your sweet potato fries evenly on a non-stick pan.
• Cook for 15 minutes and flip them over.  Then, cook for 15 more minutes.
• Take them out of the oven and enjoy them!  My 3 medium sweet potatoes could feed 4-6 people with no problem.  YUM!!!!

Badger Mountain Vineyards: No Sulfites Added Series Review

Did you know that potentially 1 out of 10 people have a sulfite allergy?  My great friend Michelle and I both suffer from migraines and know that sulfites can be triggers for migraines.  Aside from being a migraine sufferer, my pal Michelle also is very picky about what adult beverages she likes...as in...only drinks tequila or my secret family recipe for "Mollie B.'s Homemade Bailey's".  But, she tried the Badger Mountain Vineyard NSA (No Sulfite Added) Organic wine and was quite happy.  We shared some of the Chardonnay, which by the way, is the most delicious Chardonnay I have ever had.  And for only $10.00 a bottle, this is quite a steal too!  The Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were also delicious.  These wines are USDA Organic & although a natural amount of sulfites do exist in wine, these wines have no added sulfites which can really ease the mind of someone who is sensitive to sulfites.  The Badger Mountain Vineyard is based out of Washington State and they put a lot of passion into their wine, which is reflected in its quality and taste.  Please consider these wines when making your next purchase for a dinner party, romantic night in, or for a gift!  You will not be disappointed.  Thank you so much to Badger Mountain Vineyards for letting me try your wonderful wine! 

Easy Banana Bites for Kids

My wonderful interns have been working on Healthy Kids Snacks this year.  I had the opportunity to see two of my interns make Banana Bites and was impressed by how simple the treat was to make, but also how perfect the snack is for teaching kids how to use utensils.  I admit that I don't let my kids use knives as much as I should, but making the Banana Bites gives them the opportunity to use a plastic knife and also gives me the opportunity to become a little more comfortable with it as well.  It is SO important to let your children become comfortable with making food by themselves and using utensils.  This is the perfect treat for them.

Ingredients:

• One half of a Banana
• One graham cracker in a Ziplock bag
• One plastic knife

Have the kids start by mashing the graham cracker in the Ziplock bag until the graham cracker is fine crumbs (they think that is really fun).  Then, have them use the plastic knife to cut the banana in to small slices.  Take the banana slices and drop them in the plastic bag & lightly shake the crumbs over the bananas.  Take them out of the bag and you have delicious Banana Bites!

A great way to make a fun snack, teaching skills, and making sure your kids are getting their fruit in!

Stash Tea Review & Giveaway

I am always on the lookout for a beverage that rocks my world.  I had the opportunity to try STASH Tea and was amazed at how bold and vibrant each of the flavors were!  The Chai tea was hands down the best Chai tea that I have ever tried.  The Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning are both incredible.  The Christmas Eve blend is caffeine-free with a mint & sweet spice flavor.  It is the perfect tea for a cool evening.  The Christmas Morning blend is a very rich and tasty black tea.  Don't let the names fool you, these teas are perfect for this time of year when the weather is chilly and we are winding down from the holidays.  STASH tea really has high quality teas.  I am a personal fan of their Orange Spice Black Tea which can really make your home smell incredible too.  Other things I like about STASH is that their products are readily available.  I can find them at most of the stores I shop at.  They are also extremely reasonably priced.  For a great quality tea, you do not overpay.  In fact, I would say that you underpay!  Their website is super fun, you can find teas by their flavor, region, type, or even by what kind of mood you're in.  If you are a tea drinker, give STASH a try!  If you are thinking of becoming a tea drinker, STASH is a great brand.  Thank you so much STASH for providing our readers a chance to win the Christmas Eve & Christmas Morning blends of tea!

WOWBUTTER- A peanut butter replacement product

3 million Americans report being allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, or both.  We have all seen the horrible stories of children with peanut allergies having allergic reactions and losing their lives due to accidents involving exposure to peanuts.  People with severe peanut allergies can exhibit symptoms such as inflammation, itching, hives, swelling, and in some cases, anaphylaxis in which the air passages are blocked and the circulatory system can collapse leading to death if not treated immediately.  Some school systems have made peanut-free zones in their cafeterias, or have eliminated peanut products completely from their schools.  WOWBUTTER is a peanut free, gluten free, tree nut free, and dairy free product that is a peanut butter replacement product.  One of my co-workers son's (who is 3 years old) loves this product so much that he asks for a spoonful of it at night as a snack.  I do not have a peanut allergy and love traditional peanut butter, so it was difficult for me to have an unbiased opinion, but I thought it was just okay.  However, if  I had a peanut allergy or if my kid's schools were peanut-free zones, I do think this would be a decent alternative if placed on some bread with some jelly or banana slices.  It certainly maintained the smooth, creamy texture of regular peanut butter.  And from all of the sampling of the product, the kids who tried the WOWBUTTER were happy with it, but the adults were stuck in their ways of regular peanut butter.  The really cool thing is that on the website, you can request a free sample for your daycare, school, or camp.  There is also a lot of resources for speaking to school boards about peanut allergies and allergy facts in general.  Thank you WOWBUTTER for letting my review panel and I sample your products!  I am glad you are such a great advocate for people with peanut allergies!

Minestrone de la HonestRD

This is a delicious, low-calorie soup to make in your Crock Pot!  It makes 8-10 servings and is super tasty with a little garnish of shredded Romano cheese!  One cup of Minestrone de la HonestRD (without cheese) is 118 calories, 5.5 grams of protein, 18 grams of carbohydrate, 4 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of fat.  The perfect side dish to warm you up and accompany a nice salad or sandwich!

• 1 cup of diced red potatoes
• 1 cup of chopped carrots
• 32 ounces of beef broth
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes, undrained (14 1/2 ounces each)
• 1 cup of chopped cabbage
• 1 cup of sliced zucchini
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 3/4 cup of fresh green beans
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup of chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed & drained (15 ounces)

1.  Combine all of the ingredients, except for the cannellini beans, in the Crock Pot & mix well.  Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours.
2.  Add the cannellini beans.  Cover & cook on LOW for 1 additional hour.
3.  Remove and discard the Bay Leaf.  Serve the soup with the shredded Romano cheese, if desired.