Archive for Recipes

Chiquita Cooking Lab Contest

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

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What’s your best Chiquita Banana Recipe?  It could be worth up to $4000.00 when you enter your recipe at the Chiquita Cooking Lab!

Click here to start your recipe!  Once at the website “scratch” off the yellow section to the right. After the section is clear it will give you 3 (three) ingredients.  The ones I got were Apple, Banana & Oats. Then you start entering your recipe. You will be asked for your name, email address, your recipe name, ingredients, how to prepare and cook time.  After you submit your recipe, you will receive an email thanking you for your submission and a reminder to look for the next week ingredients.

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One winner will be chosen each week and could win a $4000.00 cash prize, and will have their recipe promoted on Chiquita’s digital and social channels. Also, 4 (four) random winners will be chosen each week and will receive a Chiquita gift bag.

So, what are you waiting for? Show off your best recipe! It could pay off!

#MMlovesChiquita  #ChiquitaCookingLab

Don’t forget to like Chiquita Banana on Facebook too!

 


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Ripple or Sorbet? Cool Recipes for Frozen Treats

Ripple or Sorbet? Cool Recipes for Frozen Treats

On a sweltering hot day, there’s nothing like digging through the freezer to find a chest of buried, icy treasure hidden in the freezer – especially if it’s homemade. It’s now possible to make your own ice cream in almost any flavour imaginable!

Case in point: Perry’s have brought out a chicken wing flavor, while rumor has it that it is possible to indulge in a pint of cheeseburger flavored ice cream in Venezuela. We’re not suggesting you try to top such taste insanity – instead, you can cool off with the following delicious treats, which the kids can help to make!

The Healthy One: Frozen Yogurt

For a lower calorie treat, try yogurt as a healthier base for your flavors rather than milk, cream and sugar. Bung some natural Greek yogurt, honey for sweetness, and a fruit or two of your choice into the ice cream maker for 30 minutes and await the perfect results. Peach, banana, kiwi and strawberry make for kid-friendly flavors that aren’t too tart.

The Chocolate One: Nutella

Fact: the number of Nutella jars sold in a year could cover the Great Wall of China eight times. Thankfully, for a swirl of chocolatey heaven in your vanilla, you’ll only need about half a cup for this recipe, which should be combined with whipping cream, milk and eggs once the ice cream maker gets going. Add crushed walnuts caramel sauce and banana for a banoffee spin.

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The Takeaway Option: Popsicles

Your kids won’t want to miss a moment outside if it’s sunny, so opt for popsicles for a quick-fire cool down. Blend ripe watermelon with lemon juice and sugar and pour into popsicle molds for a healthy snack, or freeze chunks of banana and strawberry on skewers dipped in chocolate for irresistible fruit kebabs.

There are of course an endless number of different flavour combinations to create, so why not do some research, create a wishlist, and start making your own ice cream today! You’ll never turn back to store bought, once you’ve had the first bite….

This is a guest post.
Photo Copyright: foto66 / 123RF Stock Photo. Used with permission.


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25 Refreshing Summer Salads

25 Refreshing Summer Salads

I don’t know about you but now that the hot weather is here my body is craving salads. I cannot wait to have fresh lettuce from our garden! We’ve already had a feed of spinach that we planted in our raised bed in the fall and it came up in the spring. Can’t wait to try many of these summer salads recipes!

What one would be your favorite?

1. Strawberry Black Bean Salad
2. Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
3. Chicken and Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Dressing and Walnuts
4. Bok Choy and Chicken Salad with a Sweet Almond Topping
5. Easy Chopped Vegetable Salad
6. Leafy Green Salad with Fresh Fruit
7. Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Avocados
8. Tomato and Ricotta Salata Salad
9. Fresh Plum Caprese
10. Apple and Manchego Salad
11. Santorini Salad with Cucumber Basil Yogurt Dressing
12. Green and White Salad
13. Avocado Salad with Strawberry Sauce
14. A Very Green Gluten-Free Salad
15. Broccoli Craisin Salad
16. Strawberry Cucumber Salad
17. Chipotle Chickpea Salad
18. Vegetable Nicoise Salad
19. Carrot Pineapple Salad
20. Arugula Smoked Salmon Avocado Salad
21. Strawberry Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans
22. Quinoa Salad with Feta and Chia Seeds
23. Chinese Chicken Salad
24. Beet, Orange, and Kumquat Salad
25. Citrus Avocado Salmon Salad


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Mother’s Day Gift Idea: The Greek Yogurt in the Kitchen Cookbook

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The Greek Yogurt Kitchen Book Cover

As I mentioned before, we love Greek yogurt so when the opportunity to review The Greek Yogurt in the Kitchen Cookbook I took it. I really like the looks of the Eggs Benedict recipe so I have shared it below.

This cookbook would be a great Mother’s Day gift for you or your own mother. It contains over 130 recipes with meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. It also explains the health benefits of Greek Yogurt. I am really looking forward to trying new recipes, which is a change for me because I usually dread it because my family doesn’t really adapt well to new things, at least certain ones.

You can find The Greek Yogurt in the Kitchen Cookbook at any major book retailer.

About the Author

Toby Amidor is the founder of Toby Amidor Nutrition, where she provides nutrition and food safety consulting services. She is a nutrition expert for FoodNetwork.com, writing for their Healthy Eats Blog, a regular contributor to U.S. News and World Report Eat + Run blog, and an adjunct professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. Toby trained as a clinical dietitian at New York University. Her expertise includes over 14 years of experience in various areas of food and nutrition. Through ongoing consulting and faculty positions, she has established herself as one of the top experts in culinary nutrition, food safety, and media.

Recipe from The Greek Yogurt in the Kitchen Cookbook

Eggs Benedict-6593

Eggs Benedict with Lighter Hollandaise
Serves 4

Hollandaise sauce is typically made with a stick or two of butter to serve four people. The fat and calories can easily be slashed by substituting nonfat Greek yogurt for much of the butter, while still using a touch of butter to maintain the traditional flavor.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
4 large eggs
2 whole wheat English muffins
Cooking spray
4 slices turkey bacon (about 1/4 pound)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 medium asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a boil over high heat.
Add the vinegar and lower the heat until it is no longer at a rolling boil.
Crack an egg into a small cup, dish, or wineglass.
Holding it near the surface of the water, gently slide the egg into the hot water.
Repeat with the remaining eggs.
Cover the saucepan and allow the eggs to cook for exactly 6 minutes.
Remove each egg carefully with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Toast the English muffins.
Coat a medium skillet with cooking spray and heat it over medium heat.
Cook the bacon until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Place a slice of bacon on each toasted English muffin half.
In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the asparagus, cover the pan, and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the yogurt, egg yolks, lemon juice, mustard, cayenne, and salt.
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler, set it over simmering water, and heat it, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
Immediately remove from the heat.
To assemble the dish, place 3 asparagus spears over the bacon on each muffin half, and top with 1 poached egg and 2 tablespoons of the hollandaise sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (PER SERVING): Calories: 241; Total Fat: 13 grams; Saturated Fat: 6 grams; Protein: 15 grams; Total Carbohydrates: 16 grams; Sugars: 3 grams; Fiber: 3 grams; Cholesterol: 295 milligrams; Sodium: 301 milligrams

Enjoy!


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A JOLLY TIME Pop Corn Recipe for Valentine’s Day

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There is nothing like snuggling up with your loved ones around a classic bowl of good ole popcorn! Jolly time might even inspire you to write a love poem around those light , fluffy kernels of buttery goodness!

 

This Valentine’s Day why not treat your family to some Jolly Time Pop Corn! Try out the recipe below for a special Valentine treat for the kids or any loved one! We sure did! We made the Choco Cherry Hearts for the family… and don’t worry if you do not have a heart shaped cookie cutter … we made ours into balls instead and put them on the sticks and they turned out great as popcorn pops! So any way you “pop” it this is a great Valentine’s treat! Throw them in the children’s lunch or surprise a loved one with a bouquet!

 


Choco Cherry Hearts Bouquet Recipe

Choco-Cherry-Heart-Bouquets

Makes about 8

Ingredients:

12 cups popped JOLLY TIME® Smart Balance Butter Light Microwave Pop Corn (about 1 bag)

1-1/2 cups dried tart cherries

1 (1-pound) bag mini marshmallows

1 cup white chocolate chips or chopped vanilla candy coating

¼ cup butter

Red food color

Long lollipop sticks or thick bamboo skewers

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate morsels

 

Here’s How:

Mix popcorn and cherries in a large bowl.

Place marshmallows, white chocolate, and butter in a large saucepan. Cook over low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in a few drops of red food color to tint the mixture pink.

Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn; toss gently until well coated.

With wet or buttered hands, press mixture into a 3-1/2 to 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter (place cutter on a foil-lined baking sheet; press in popcorn, then lift cutter off).

Insert a lollipop stick in the base of each heart.

Allow popcorn hearts to cool completely. Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate. Drizzle over hearts.

Allow to harden.

Wrap hearts in cellophane and tie with ribbon; stand them up in a vase or jar as a centerpiece or gift.

You can find more flavors, recipes, and inspiration from America’s first family of popcorn ~ celebrating its 100th birthday this year! Please visit Jollytime.com for more information on this product, coupons and free offers!

Link to Jolly Time Pop Corn promotions (coupons and free offers with UPC submission)

 

 


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Celebrating Valentine’s Day as a Family

Ah! Love is in the air – Valentine’s Day is coming!

Valentine's Day February 14

I remember the days of being Sweethearts –  going out to dinner, flowers, & candy.  My…My… can things change once kids enter the picture.  Valentine’s Day has changed in our house, we now celebrate as a family.   Here’s a few inexpensive ways to make Valentine’s Day a family event!

1.)     Make heart pancakes for breakfast – Make your favorite pancake mix, add a few drops of red food coloring.  Stir up the batter good and cook them.  When they are done cooking, take a heart shaped cookie cutter and cut out your heart pancakes.

2.)    Heart shaped sandwiches for lunch – This is a good craft as well as lunch.  Build your favorite sandwich and then use the heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out a really cute sandwich.

3.)    You need flowers for Valentine’s Day – Material needed:  a few sheets of colored tissue paper and a pipe cleaner for each flower.  Take the tissue paper and lay them on top of one another and then twist a pipe cleaner in the middle.  Fluff out the tissue paper to make tissue flowers.

4.)    You can’t have Valentine’s Day without chocolate –  My favorite is chocolate covered strawberries.  Buy strawberries at your local store and a bag or a few bars of your favorite chocolate.  Using a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals at first.  Stir the chocolate.  Once the chocolate starts to melt only microwave about 10 seconds or less, be careful not to burn the chocolate.  Use oven mitts to take the chocolate out of the microwave, it will be very hot.  Then dip your washed & dried strawberries into the chocolate, I sometimes use a spoon to coat the berry.  Place the chocolate strawberry on wax paper to dry.

Enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day as a family!

 


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Get Healthy with Insync Probiotic #NaturalProbiotic #shop #cbias

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Our family really strives to live a healthy lifestyle, but I want to preface that by saying we don’t do it perfectly and we are still on our journey to better health. Always room for improvement, right? Though I have to say we celebrate our two year anniversary of being cold and flu free next month! One of the ways we live healthy is taking a natural probiotic and a daily multivitamin.


Insync Probiotic

FFR Insync Probiotic_at Meijer stores

Insync Probiotic is a natural probiotic I have been taking for the past three weeks. It is available at Meijer stores in the “condition specific” section. It contains doctor recommended B. infantis’, which is a healthy probiotic bacteria that has been found to help women with irritable bowel syndrome (Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine). I have found it easy on my digestive system.


Four Things to Stay Healthy

Here are four other things to do to help maintain a healthy digestive system balance in addition to taking a natural probiotic.

1. Eating the right foods. One of my favorite fall and winter time foods is soup, especially Potato Kale Soup. It has lots of yummy veggies that keep your digestive system going.

FFR Potato Kale Soup_

It looks wonderful in the above photo with all its brightly colored vegetables, and it’s how the children prefer it, but I prefer to blend it together as the recipe calls for, which makes it look not quite so appealing. It is oh-so-yummy though!

Insync Probiotic_Potato Kale Soup

2. Getting enough sleep is an important part of staying healthy and giving our body the rest it needs to function properly.

FFR Insync Probiotic_sleeping photo

3. Get enough exercise. I struggle with this one because I like to get my exercise naturally rather than go to the gym or get on exercise equipment. One of the reasons I want to live on a farm! The thing is I have so many children that usually what’s left for me is weeding the garden which no one else enjoys. Before my older two boys took it over, one of my favorite things to do in the winter was shovel snow. Exercise aids in regular bowel movements.

FFR Insync Probiotic_shoveling snow

4. Laughter. We are all probably familiar with the old proverb “Laughter is good medicine”, but it rings true. Exercise, laughter and having fun gets the endorphines going and reduces stress in our life. Less stress promotes good digestion and promotes good health.

For more information about Insync Probiotic, please visit:
http://www.insyncprobiotic.com
Twitter – @insyncprobiotic
Facebook – insyncprobiotic

Do you and your family take a natural probiotic to stay healthy? Have you ever heard of or tried Insync Probiotic before reading this post?


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Pompeian Grapeseed Oil Review from Smiley360

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I have never heard of Pompeian Grapeseed Oil until it came in the mail. As I research it, I found it is a great source of Vitamin E and antioxidants. It has a high smoke point so, it is terrific for sautéing, stir frying, and deep frying.

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With the Pompeian Grapeseed Oil I received I made Smokey Fried Chickpeas.  They were fantastic!  I would have posted a picture, except my husband ate them before I had a chance!  They were that good.

Here’s a coupon so, you can try Pompeian Grapeseed Oil too!


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Calzones Recipe

FFR Calzones Ingredients

A couple of weeks ago I was adventurous and decided to make our calzones recipe, except I couldn’t find it. So I did a quick search to see what ingredients I’d need and then made them my way.

Making Bread Dough in a Bosch Mixer

I made our calzones out of homemade bread dough. In the past I have used the frozen bread dough at the store for quick preparation, but now we have a Bosch and mixing up bread dough is a piece of cake!

FFR Calzones Bread making

Warm water, yeast, sugar, oil and salt.

FFR Calzones bread making_2

Then add unbleached white flour.

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We know the bread dough is ready when it no longer sticks to the side of the Bosch bowl, as shown in the photo below.

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Homemade Calzones Recipe

After I make the bread dough, I spread the balls of dough out. You can also roll them to make nicer cirle-ish shapes.

FFR Calzones with Pepperoni

Then I added toppings of sauce, mozzarella cheese and ricotta cheese. I should have added some broccoli but I didn’t.

FFR Homemade Calzones

I usually top them with more sauce but my daughter took some of these photos for me. We divided up tasks so we could feed our hungry crew!

Calzones Recipe

Now for the actual recipe which is a little “rough” because so much cooking that I do doesn’t follow a recipe. Sorry!

Calzones Recipe

Ingredients

  • Bread dough (I make a large batch of homemade, enough for 3 loaves of bread to feed our family..)
  • 2 - 28 oz cans Organic tomato sauce (We add our own oregano, basil and a little sweetner to our taste.)
  • 1 packet Organic pepperoni
  • 16oz Organic ricotta cheese
  • 1 Large Farm fresh egg :)
  • 16oz Mozzarella cheese

Directions

Step 1
Divide up the bread dough into equal parts. Then roll or pat the balls out into a small circle-ish shape to create your calzones. Put on greased cookie sheets and put to the side to mix up other ingredients.
Mix 1 egg with a 16 oz container of ricotta cheese. Set aside.
Step 2
Make sauce by adding oregano, basil and sweetener to tomato sauce. Start with a couple teaspoons of each and taste test to see if you like it. Keep adding oregano, basil and sweetener until it satisfies your palate. Set aside with rolled out bread dough.
Fold over dough from corner to corner and press to close. Optional: Paint tops of calzones with melted butter and put slits in the top of your calzones for decorative puposes.
Step 3
Go back to rolled out dough and spread tomato sauce out on the dough. Add pepperoni followed by the ricotta cheese mixture and top with a sprinkle of mozaralla cheese.
Step 4
Put in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until bread dough is cooked through. They should be a golden brown and the inside should be heated. Top the calzones with a couple of spoonfuls of sauce. Serve with a side dish or salad. Voila! Your masterpiece is served!

Do you play with recipes or create your own? Do they turn out?


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Yogurt and Blueberries – Wordless Wednesday

Yogurt is a yummy, healthy snack. Creating yogurt recipes is pretty easy when you keep it simple and I like simple. One of my favorite snacks is yogurt and blueberries. To spice it up I like to top it with almonds and pecans. I love eating just plain frozen blueberries too.

I was playing around with taking photos of food and took one of my yogurt and blueberries. I thought it turned out decent enough to make into a blog post.

FFR Yogurt, Blueberries and Almonds

For my yogurt and blueberries snack, all I did is poured vanilla or French vanilla yogurt into a bowl, added frozen or fresh blueberries, topped it with sliced almonds and/or pecans. We do this a lot with any of our favorite fruit. You could do this with plain yogurt too.

We also like to make smoothies….at least until our blender broke. :( Sniff. Sniff. Still have to figure out which part I need to buy since the last time I purchased the wrong part.

Something we have not made since getting Miss Moo is homemade yogurt. Amazing, eh? Whenever I buy yogurt to have the starter it always gets eaten before we get to it.

Do you eat yogurt? Do you do anything “fancy” with it? Have any yogurt recipes to recommend or do you make homemade yogurt?


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