From Family Fun Website & Magazine. Forget about the blueberry & strawberry cake dessert, try this one!
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/patriotic-pops-683134/
They are on my list this year! If you follow the site above, there’s a short video to explain & demonstrate the recipe also! Enjoy! Happy 4th!
Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.
Company Information
“VEGGIE PATCH, the brand name for FoodTech International’s products, is making a big impact in the rapidly growing soy foods industry. In fact, since it was founded in 1995, Veggie Patch has become a $15 million business and is the fastest growing company in the $300 million meat alternatives retail category.
Featured prominently in produce aisles at leading supermarkets throughout the country, Veggie Patch is well positioned to appeal to this consumer segment: American families wishing to make more healthful food choices. Veggie Patch’s recipe for success is a simple one. We offer America’s favorite foods in familiar and attractive new packaging, with fresh ingredients and delicious taste, making meatless foods “user-friendly.”
An added bonus of the Veggie Patch line is its appeal to children. Kids don’t find vegetables to be intimidating when they look and taste like chicken nuggets! This means parents can feel relieved to know their children are getting the nutrition they need, without the extra fat, calories, chemicals and other modern-day concerns posed by meat— it’s “meat” you can feel good about!”
Product Veggie Patch Offers
Spinach Nuggets, Chick’n Nuggets, Meatless Buffalo Wings, Chick’n Cutlets,, Broccoli Bites, Spinach Bites with Cheese
In addition, they have Simply The Best Veggie Dogs. And 3 varieties of Meatless Sausage, including Jalapeno Cheddar, Spiced Apple, and Sun Dried Tomato with Artichoke.
My Review
First off, I’d like to thank the Veggie Patch team for all their help. For the past few weeks, I had a hard time trying to find Veggie Patch items. Of course, it was my fault. I was looking in frozen food and the Veggie Patch products are located by the tofu’s and veggies.
When I visited the Veggie Patch website (http://www.facebook.com/eatveggiepatch.com) today, I noticed my grocery store only seemed carry about 4 of the 19 products. I will be suggesting they add more Veggie Patch products.
My family and I received the Falafel Chickpea Balls & Spinach Bites with Cheese. One word. YUMMY! I wish my grocery store offered more of the varieties that Veggie Patch offers.
The Spinach Bites with Cheese are wonderful! Our next gathering we are getting them again! Even with the breading they are not “heavy” on the belly.
My husband LOVES chickpeas and the Falafel Chickpea Balls did not disappoint. There is a recipe on the inside of the packaging that is not to be missed, Falafel Pockets. Try them for yourself.
Veggie Patch has a few more new fans! I’ll be speaking with my local grocery store to ask them for more varieties!
Our family does not really eat fish, so this post is a bit out of character for that one reason. My parents on the other hand LOVE seafood and certain types of fish. However, being as conscious as we are of what we eat, we thought these foodie tips about fish were important to share in a day and age where fish are contaminated with all kinds of “no-nos” for our health (mercury, PCBs, antibiotics), overfished, and caught in environmentally destructive ways.
This tip comes courtesy of Casson Trenor, author of Sustainable Sushi and campaigner with Greenpeace and Fresh the Movie via their e-newsletter.
Fish to Seek Out
Fish to Avoid
Want to learn more about these fish to seek out and to avoid? Have a question or idea to share? Leave a comment on Fresh’s blog! (They have some info about lobster and more.)
Thanks to all who entered and to Chili’s for sponsoring this awesome giveaway!
Ghost-written by a contributor…..
I got a chance to go to Chili’s and try the all new Triple Dipper with my daughter. The new triple dipper from Chili’s is three appetizers on one plate! You can choose from are-Loaded Potato Skins, Memphis BBQ Skins, Honey-Chipotle Shrimp, Big Mouth® Bites, Boneless Buffalo Wings, Southwestern Eggrolls, Chicken Crispers®, Wings Over Buffalo®, Fried Cheese and Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip.
My daughter tried a Chili’s hamburger and fries, and I got the Triple Dipper with- Loaded Potato Skins, Cheese Sticks, and Chicken Crispers. We chose Chili’s yummy Strawberry Lemonade to drink!
My daughter really enjoyed her hamburger and fries. She liked that it wasn’t greasy at all and that they tasted very good! I really enjoyed the loaded potato skins and cheese sticks. They weren’t greasy and had just the right flavor to them both. The sauces that we had with them were- Honey Mustard, Ranch, and Tomato Sauce.
On the other hand I did not like the Chicken Crispers. They were extremely greasy and I found grizzle in them which I did not like at all.
For desert we tried some really yummy deserts!
Overall, we really enjoyed our dinner from Chili’s and if we could have three foods on our plates it would be-
Giveaway!!
Enter to win a Chili’s $20 gift card!
Mandatory Entry: Fill out this form and then come back here and do those extra entries! 
Extra Entries;(Please be sure and leave a comment and link for extra entries):
1 Entry: Follow Chili’s On Twitter
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1 Entry: Like Chili’s on Facebook
1 Entry: Tell me your 3 favorite foods you would like to have all on 1 plate.
1 Entry: Opt-In to Chili’s email club here (You’ll receive a free appetizer certificate too!)
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Details:
This giveaway will run from June 7th, to June 12th, 2011 at midnight CST. The winner will be chosen through Random.org. Chili will send one winner their prize. Winner will be contacted via email on or before June 12th, 2011 and will be asked for their contact and other pertinent info. Winners will have 48 hours to send me their e-mail at [ffr] [giveaways] [at] [gmail] [dot] [com] (without spaces and parenthesis). Please note: This giveaway is offered to USA only.
Thanks and have fun!
A big thank you to Chili’s for providing me a gift card to try the Triple Dipper and for providing the winners gift card.
Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.
Packin’ SMART® is a space-saving storage solution for all your small essentials. De-stuff your bag while on-the-go, de-clutter your cabinet at home, define your drawer at office, and put an end to lose items! With three innovative styles to choose from, there should be no more excuses in organizing all your small essentials.
Packin’ SMART® Features
Separate compartments, each with its own lid so contents do not mix or shift. You can be confident that your measurement is precise at all times. Each container holds up 1/3 cup of dried goods; up to a full 8 oz. feeding.
Multiple uses for at home, office, and on-the-go. Each container separates for use as individual serving bowls. Please visit Uses page for more information about how Packin’ SMART® can help you get organized.
Add on as little or as many tiers as you need using easy-to-use secure click stacking system. Get organized the SMART way with this space-saving solution. Get SMART, Get Organized with Packin’ SMART®
Removable funnel-shaped inner lid for easy dispensing of contents. Minimize spills and access contents quickly and easily. Depending on the content, use the inner lid for dispensing but leave it open when storing larger items.
Together with multiple sets of Packin’ SMART®, create various tiers to store just what you need. Ergonomically designed for easy handling and made of FDA approved food grade material that is stain-, odor- and shatter-resistant .
OUR REVIEW:
We received the 4 tier packin’ smart. This was a nice size as it allows for versatility of storage. I used the product to house treats for my toddler on the go. I found that this was a useful product to house treats as the compartments detach and I could give her one compartment and keep the rest in the diaper bag. One thing I liked was the small opening on the lid…it was great for dispensing just enough treats. The opening is large enough for the treats to get through without a problem, yet small enough so not too many treats squeeze out and make a mess.
Other uses? I think that this product would be great for baby formula…it would allow just the right amount and the opening would allow for easy dispensing. As I was looking over the website the pictures also show that you can use the product for a wide range of storage…one that caught my eye was office supplies such as paper clips and thumbtacks, etc…this would prove to be a great storage option as it would allow for neat and easy dispensing. I was also thinking this would be a great way to store spices…each in its own compartment and of course the easy dispensing feature! As you can tell the storage options are endless! This is a neat product! Visit www.packinsmart.com to view more about the product and buy a few!
I got an email this week giving some great ideas on how to cut back on food waste from FreshtheMovie.com. It is sad some weeks what can get thrown out just due to lack of planning and preparing. One of the comments on the post gave some great organizing tips on how she (her name was Virginia) went from spending $400 month on food to $80-$130!
A couple of suggestions were make the most of your leftovers, when you can’t eat it, freeze it and other practical reminders on how to cut back on throwing out all that wasted food on garbage day. 
You can read the article in full here.
I read an article over the weekend that shared a recipe from the White House Kitchen – Fruit and Oatmeal Bars – which are one of the First Lady’s favorite snacks. They sounded good, if you like snack bars. So for some nice blog content and so that I wouldn’t forget the recipe (and yes, I could have just saved it in Word! ), I decided to share it with all of you in hopes that many of you missed the article. (wry smile)
Fruit and Oatmeal Bars
Time:
About 50 minutes, plus time cooling
Ingredients:
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, letting a few inches hangs over side of pan. Brush with oil
2. Spread oats and seeds on another baking pan and toast in oven just until golden and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes, shaking pan once.
3. In a saucepan, combine oil, butter, honey, brown sugar, maple syrup and salt. Stir over medium heat until smooth and hot. In a mixing bowl, toss together toasted oats and seeds, dried fruit and cardamom. Pour hot sugar mixture over and stir until well combined.
4. While mixture is warm, transfer to prepared pan, pressing into pan evenly with an offset spatula.
5. Bake until brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack and let cool completely. Using the overhanging foil or paper, lift out of pan and place on a work surface Cut into bars, about 1 ½ inches by 3 inches.
Source: Yahoo Weekend Edition Blog
Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.
Fissler has over 160 years experience to help you in the kitchen.
Each Fissler product is made from the highest quality materials, including hygienic 18/10 German stainless steel, and goes through its certified quality control system. Through the use of these materials, German manufacturing precision, and unique features, Fissler ensures that each product will offer satisfaction for lifetimes of use.”
Fissler has repeatedly set standards and launched new cooking trends. Numerous international patents, registered designs, and awards document the company’s impressive performance. Their innovations have revolutionized the world of cooking.
If you need a flipper, strainer, whisk, spoon, skimmer. Fissler has them all and more. Their website is http://www.fisslerusa.com/. You can find Fissler products on many online retailers and you can check your state for a store near you.
My Re
view:
I received the Black Edition Spaghetti Lifter. It’s nice and sturdy. The head and handle are a heavy plastic material, while the middle of the handle is a stainless steel. It lifts spaghetti, so it does it’s job. Although, it’s not perfect for all noodles. You’ll loose elbow and shells through the hole in the center of the lifter. Which I suppose is why they named it a spaghetti lifter and not an elbow lifter. Ha ha ha…. I love kitchen gadgets so, this spaghetti lifter is right up my alley!
Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.
Has anyone ever told you to take a hint? Well, I’m telling you to go buy a HINT. A HINT Water that is! ” HINT – Drink Water, Not Sugar”
“Just the Facts”
“HINT is simple: Premium essence water with a HINT of flavor.”
“HINT offers verages with no calories, sweeteners or preseravaive and is a great alternative to juice and soda.”
“HINT was launced in April 2005 by current CEO Kara Goldin, a former AOL Executive and mother of four, her husband Theo hold the position of COO.”
“HINT has appeared on popular shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Boston Legal, and CSI, in addition to The Early Show, Power Lunch, and Good Day New York.”
“HINT is based in San Franciso, California.”
Here are the available flavor in HINT water – Watermelon, Honeydew, Hibiscus, Blackberry (available at Starbucks throughout the US and Canada), Mango-Grapefruit, Pomegranate-Tangerine, Lime, Raspberry-Lime, Pear, Cucumber, and Strawberry-Kiwi.
“HINT is available in high-end grocery stores, cafes, & food retailers nationwide.”
My Review:
I received six (6) bottles. Watermelon, Blackberry, Mango-Grapefruit, Pomegranate-Tangerine, Raspberry-Lime, & Strawberry-Kiwi. And my husband, daughter and I were “fighting” over them! We liked them all and they were refreshing! My favorite was the Mango-Grapefruit, while my husband’s was Raspberry-Lime. My least favorite was watermelon, only because I prefer real watermelon – the actual melon. I’m not fond of watermelon candy and things like that.
The bottles are 16 ounces each and can be purchased directly on their site. www.drinkhint.com . I also found them on Amazon. Both sites have HINT water at the same price per bottle. A great refreshing treat!
If you live or visit the Washington DC area, Nashville, or Oregon. Your in for a treat, a frozen treat to be exact. On page 41 of the June 2011 Food Network Magazine, these places have frozen veggie pops! What a great idea!
The picture about is from Pleasant Pops in Washington, DC. On their website www.pleasantpops.com, they say their favorite are…
Apple Cinnamon
Avocado Cream
Banana Date
Blackberries and Cream
Blackberry Basil Cream
Blueberry Pancake
Cantaloupe Mint
Carrot Apple Ginger
Carolina Sweet Tea
Chocolate Cream
Chocolate Mint
Chongos: Mexican Sweet Cream and Cinnamon
Coffee ‘n Cream
Cookies ‘n Cream
Cucumber Chile
Eggnog
Fig
Golden Delicious Apple
Good Old Strawberry
Green Tea
Guac Pop (Avocado Lime)
Honey Crisp Apple
Lemon Lime Ginger
Peaches ‘n Ginger
Peppermint
Pineapple Basil
Pina Colada
Pumpkin Pie
Strawberries and Cream
Strawberry Rhubarb
Sweet Cream ‘n Corn
Vanilla Cream
Watermelon Black Pepper
Watermelon Cantaloupe
Watermelon Cucumber
Watermelon Mint
They all sound wonderful.
At Nashville’s Las Paletas (2905 12th Ave. South; 615-386-2101) according to Food Network Magazine they have a fresh corn with heavy cream pop. Then if your heading to the west coast, check out Sol Pops (www.solpops.com). In Portland, OR, they have multiple locations and sells a sugar snap pea -orange juice pop.
Unfortunately, I don’t live anywhere near these areas, but I’m going to try and make them at home. It will be a trial and error for sure. My toddler daughter LOVES ice cream and ice pops. If I can sneak a veggie into it, bonus for me! I looked on the web for a little bit to find a “base” recipe with no results. However, I know juices will freeze and if I run some veggies in the food processor.
