The Red Envelope

The Red Envelope is my new go to for every occasion whether it be cute baby gifts or any other special day. Their site has it conveniently broken down into easy go-to categories like Fathers day, special occasions (fathers day, anniversary, birthday, congratulations, graduation, housewarming etc etc etc!) for her, for him, jewelry, baby & kids, for the home—just to name a few! Right now The Red Envelope is offering a 10% off deal—I don’t know how long this is running for so order soon! Just enter “SAVE10” during checkout and save—perfect for Father’s Day (June 20th by the way). Onto my order, I got the Twilight Turtle Nightlight and it is adorable. Before I go onto that I have to say the customer service and packaging was magnificent. The box arrived quickly and beautifully packaged—nestled safely inside the shipping box was a giant red box complete with an ivory ribbon and a coordinating card. As I opened the box I saw how nicely the inside was wrapped as well with ivory tissue paper and a gold sticker securing the wrapping. My Twilight Turtle Nightlight was safe and sound in the box. I would be proud sending anyone a gift from The Red Envelope—it looked very sophisticated! The Twilight Turtle Nightlight is even better than the display picture portrays. The body of the turtle is soft and plush and the light escaping holes on the back are star shaped making the ceiling glow lightly like a planetarium. The light feature has three colors: white, green and blue. The light also automatically shuts off after 45 minutes—plus it even had my first battery already installed for immediate use. When the baby gets older I can pull out the included illustrated star guide and talk about the different constellations.

Producing the Finest

Toffee, toffee, and more great toffee. Vern’s Toffee House sent me a sampling of their one of a kind California almond toffee. The toffee looked so nice I wasn’t sure if I should even eat it!!!! HA yeah right, once I ate one piece I kept eating and ate the entire box. I think the ingredient that makes Vern’s Toffee so mouth watering and rich is the fresh sweet cream butter they use. Try out Vern’s for yourself; you don’t know what you’re missing.

Specific Cravings

I was so excited to try Michelina's frozen meals--- perfect for taking to work AND they cater to my very specific pregnancy cravings! They have tons and tons of entrees to choose from in their various product lines that include: Authentico, Traiditional Recipes, Lean Gourmet, Budget Gourmet, Snack Rolls as well as a bunch of new products. The meal I chose was Spaghetti Marinara-- the saucy was sweet with a good tomato tang and the noodles were cooked perfectly. The whole meal only had 250 calories which isn't bad at all for a pasta dish! If you are concerned about the healthy options Michelina's impressed me again by having a "Healthy Options" section right there on the main page where you can dial down entrees by Allergens, Calories, Fat or Sodium. Their Lean Gourmet line is ALWAYS a great choice for a delicious on the go meal. Their site is so up to date with descriptions of each meal along with the nutrition facts so you can make informed decisions. Michelina's makes their meals taste so good by adding fresh ingredients for the best test and topping it with love!

Amazing Smoked Flavor

One of the best EVER beef jerky flavors I have ever had is the Brown Sugar and Honey Beef Jerky from Tillamook Country Smoker. The sweet yet smoked flavor of this Jerky is OUT OF THIS WORLD. If I was rich I would eat this every day as a late afternoon snack it’s that good. The mixture of the tender premium beef, brown sugar and honey tied together with the smoked flavor is delicious; I couldn’t do any better myself!!!!! :) Tillamook also has many other great flavors like teriyaki, old fashioned, sea salt and pepper and many more. Probably my second favorite is a tie between the teriyaki and old fashioned; I cannot decide which one I like better. Try them out yourself and tell me which one out of the two you like better; I guarantee you won’t be able to pick as well. Tillamook’s Jerky is 97% fat free and hold onto you’re seats for this one MSG free as well.

Healthy Baking Mixes?!

I know the idea of a healthy baking mix seems impossible but Among Friends has created just that! These mixes are focused on healthy, homemade, nutritious treats for your family. Each mix is made from very best ingredients - organic whole grains, unsulfured, unsweetened fruits and spices, and pure chocolate! Yum! They have a chocolate chip cookie mix, oatmeal raisin (pictured), chococrinkles, oats granola bars and fruit crisp mix! I made the oatmeal raisin-- it was simple and they turned out delicious! Check them out for yourself.

Natural Dentist

Environmentally safe, great tasting toothpaste and mouthwash. The Natural Dentist has created a toothpaste and mouthwash that is effective on your teeth and made from safe natural ingredients. I have a quick question for all my readers; do you know how your mouth feels when you just get a cleaning at the dentist? We’ll if you use both the Natural Dentists mouthwash and toothpaste one right after the other your mouth and teeth will feel as clean as leaving the dentist after your 6 month cleaning. Also if you’re a floss user you might want to put down the floss and try the Natural Dentist’s Stim-U-Dent plaque removers made from biodegradable basswood. Check it out you will not be disappointed with your NATURAL FRESH BREATH!!

Cool sweepstakes alert! Rudi’s Organic Bakery has partnered with Applegate Farms toi give away eco-friendly block party kits through their “Rock the Block Sweepstakes”. I am a LOVER of Rudi’s Organic Bakery goods and your block party comes complete with all natural, organic hot dogs and hamburgers, Rudi’s buns, a grill dome ceramic cooker, beverages, Clementine Art Supplies, a compost bin, an iPod Nano filled with music AND $200 in cash! Rush over and enter right now!

Unique Father’s Day Idea!

This weekend I got a great gift in the mail from Gourmet Station, “Fine Dining Delivered”. When they say “Fine” they mean it! In my pack created for two was 2 Certified Angus Beef Steaks with Baby New Potatoes AND Appetizer: Bruschetta & Tarts, Bread: Loaf Baguettes, Dessert: Crème Brulee Parfait and even a Beverage: St. Ives Coffee to pair perfectly with my luscious Crème Brulee Parfait! This particular dinner is called Wild West T-Bone Steak Dinner gift in case you want this same lineup but they have tons of others to choose from! While I was enjoying my Steak Dinner Gift I thought who would love this even more?! DAD!! Of course! I don’t know a Dad who would not enjoy and remember a Food Gift like this one or you can give him a Steak Dinner Dining Gift Certificate, Food of the Month, Soup Gift, Dessert of the Month or tons of other Gourmet Delivered Meals By Mail! The great thing about this dinner is that it was at a high restaurant quality and so easy to prepare. We put the T-Bones right on the grill and just heated up the rest, it turned out amazing.

Gluten Free and Kosher Candy….

If you have any allergies to certain products, or you are Vegan, or only eat kosher products. Then you will be extremely excited when I tell you that Illinois Nut and Candy company has you in mind. They have all sorts of nuts, chocolates, and candy that are casein free, food dye free, gluten free, organic, lactose free, sugar free, and vegan friendly. I got to try a variety of their rich and creamy chocolates and my favorite roasted cashews and almonds that are to die for. They also sent me a bag of caramel corn. Let me tell you being pregnant I have tried things that I never thought I would and I have been mixing caramel corn with cheese popcorn and boy oh boy is it ever good. So I took the caramel corn that Illinois Nut and Candy send me and mixed it with some cheese popcorn from the store and it was delicious. I do want to mention that the caramel corn is lactose free for those of you who were curious. They have over 50 different items to choose from take a minute to peek at there website you will not be disappointed.

Salad Fixings Galore

Croutons, cranberries, crispy onions, glazed walnuts, tortilla strips, all sound like a party on a salad to me. Well, I don’t know about all of my readers out there, but I like a little crunch, flavor, and kick to my salads and Fresh Gourmet makes it happen. I can choose from ranch, butter & garlic, Caesar, or just go with the good old fashioned seasoned croutons. My favorite is the old fashioned seasoned with enough seasoning to give every bite of my salad a little kick. If you want some sweetness to your salad try adding the unbelievable rich tasting glazed walnut, or throw on a few cranberries, or dump a hand full of golden raisins. It’s your choice with Fresh Gourmet they thought of it all!!!!

Natural Art Supplies

Check this out!!! All Natural Modeling dough by Clementine Art made from flour, water, salt, soybean oil, cream of tartar, and natural colors and scents (turmeric, carmine and spinach). The smell of the strawberry, lemon and lime modeling dough smells so good you want to eat it instead of play with it. The dough will not crumble no matter how much you stretch it, pound it and mold it. You can wash it out of clothes with soap and warm water (BONUS). Since this dough is all natural it will stay good and stretchy for about 12 months if the cover is sealed correctly. Finally, look at the cool design of these natural soy crayons they work just as great if not better than the name brand crayons. They also have a unique shape to fit in your child’s hand comfortably.

Cupola Clouds and Cookies

If you’re looking for a sweet, light treat to sink your taste buds into any time of the day try a Cupola cookie from Cupoladua Oven. These light, airy cookies are perfect as a snack by themselves or with a hot cup of coco. The Chai Pistachio Cupola are my favorite they are made with a base of garbanzo bean flour and egg whites, then injected with black tea, spices, and the flavor of pistachios. I have also tried these cookies crushed up and sprinkled on the top of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, WOW what a fantastic mix. The Cupoladua Oven also makes Smoked Gouda Cupola Clouds made with artisan gouda. These clouds are crunchy and very high in calcium and protein.

Tommee Tippee Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to "Big Money R" for winning the Tommee Tippee Giveaway. You will be getting the 3 pack 5 oz. Closer to Nature Bottle Set. Just send me your address and I will get your great prize in the mail. In the meantime, check out Tommee Tippee's website! Happy Saturday everyone!

Rando’s Bakery

When I was contemplating what I wanted for dinner last night I knew it had to be a homemade meatball sub! Using Butterballs turkey meatballs, my very own marinara sauce and Rando’s Italian bread it was hands down the perfect sandwich. The best part about these Rando Bakery Italian bread loaves is that they are par-baked meaning you have to finish the baking process leaving you with a fresh, hot, crispy on the outside- chewy on the inside piece of bread. Their HAND-MADE bread only needs to be heated in a 425 degree oven for 10 short minutes and you have a little slice of heaven. Not to mention the delicious smell that lingers in your kitchen. They have quite a few varieties like white (pictured), seeded and whole wheat. I am a huge fan of their unique 50% cooking process because the bread tasted fresh out of the oven and the homemade taste was stupendous. I have not had bakery bread that compared in a really long time.

Last Night

Was a very good night. Wanna know why??? My bassinet from CSN arrived! A couple of days ago I posted and showed you the one that I ordered and how great it is, well it is even better in person. It is so sturdy and looks so nice with all high quality pieces. Here is the direct link right to the bassinet and right now it is on a huge sale plus you get free shipping, talk about smart shopping! Another thing I love is that this bassinet is very gender neutral in ecru color and a waffle fabric for durability. So if you are like me and do not know the gender or you plan on having more than one child this bassinet is perfect. The sleeping area of the bassinet is very roomy while the whole bassinet is a great size to have right next to your bedside in those first months. I can not wait to use this bassinet and it is one I can be proud of that blends right in with the décor of my bedroom. CSN is one of my new favorite online retailers, when I say they have EVERYTHING I mean EVERYTHING. I signed up to get their emails and they send special offers and updates. Also, you can not beat their prices—super competitive with great sales and lots of items offer free shipping. So if you are looking for anything from baby to kitchenware to outdoors they have it. Go on the main CSN site and there is a link to get right to their other 200+ stores.

Butterball

When I think of Butterball I think of Thanksgiving and giant tasty turkeys! You HAVE to have a Butterball turkey on Thanksgiving. Butterball is not just whole turkeys though—they have a full lineup of healthy, daily selections for everyones taste buds. Just check out my sandwich below featuring Butterball Extra Thin Sliced Lunchmeat. Just like you get shaved at the deli counter this oven roasted turkey makes the perfect sandwich. Another great thing is that unlike other deli meats turkey is actually great for you—7 whole slices of this deli meat contains just 60 calories and 8 grams of protein, a total calorie bargain! So check out my lunch today and drool, then run to your grocery store and pick up a container of turkey deli meat for your summer sandwiches. While you are there check out all the other items that Butterball has to offer like roasts, tenderloins, whole breasts, breast cuts, wings, drumsticks, ground turkey, meatballs, mignons, burgers, sausage and bacon. In the next few weeks you are going to see Butterball making a lot of appearances on my blog. I love their ground turkey for tacos, sloppy joe’s, chili etc… The turkey burgers are great on the grill and I am obsessed with the meatballs for a healthy twist on a meatball sub, spaghetti or in the crock pot. Really, the possibilities with Butterball’s lineup is totally endless.

Tigernuts

Europe (specifically Spain) sent me a sampling of their famous Tigernuts. If you’re not familiar with Tigernuts, I will fill your mind with knowledge. A Tigernut is a very unique small tuber, not a nut, which has a bit of a sweet taste to it. The look is similar to a nut and has a bumpy but rather smooth outer shell and softer middle. The benefits of eating Tigernuts are to help prevent heart attacks, thrombosis, and reduce the risk of suffering colon cancer. The Tigernut is very high in fiber, protein, and natural sugars. It is also rich in minerals like potassium, phosphorous, and vitamin E and C. The Tigernuts are grown organically with no use of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. How do you eat them? I like to eat them right out of the bag just like a nut. You can use the actual Tigernut or the juices from the “nut” in a lot of different styles of recipes like, steak dinners, brownies, drinks, etc. I also was very excited to try out the Tigernut soap; it was so soft and the aroma of the soap was so strong I could smell it throughout the house for hours, I love it. If you have not tried a Tigernut you really need to, you’re missing out!!!!

Pin Straight

Check out my pretty new Hana Hot Iron from Missiko! Not only is it stylish with its flashy pink color it works wonders on hair. Hana makes high quality professional flat irons. I have naturally wavy hair as you can see below and the iron makes it seriously pin straight. Why? Probably because of the high ceramic content and all the top of the line components that go into these great irons. Also, I loved that after ironing my hair felt healthier—not damaged and fried. I found out that the “Advanced Fusion Molding” that Hana uses accelerated negative ion output to REPAIR your hair follicles and sealing in natural oils. My hair really looked and felt soft, healthy and had a great shine! This professional tool has many more great features including: color protection, floating plates great for any hair texture, adjustable heat, heats in seconds, ergonomic grip, grooves to keep hair from pulling, hanging loop, energy efficient and has a warranty. Mine came with a matching pink storage bag (heat proof) and silicone mat (heat proof). Now, log onto the Missiko site and find the right hot iron for you! They have tons to pick from and their website descriptions include honest customer reviews and extensive descriptions.

Tried and True Sugar Free Granola


As requested by reader B. Garland here is a great recipe that I love for homemade granola. You can make this ahead and store in a container for up to 1-2 weeks, that is if it lasts that long!
Tried and True SF Granola
You will need the following ingredients:
• 6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup sliced almonds (or nuts of choice)
• ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans (or nuts of choice)
• ½ cup sugar equivalent
• 1/3 cup unsalted sunflower seeds (if desired)
• ½ cup sugar free maple syrup (I also have a recipe to make your own)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/8 cup canola oil
• ½ cup dried fruit (if desired)
Now preheat your oven to 250. Take your dry ingredients—oats, nuts, seeds (omit dried fruit) and stir them together in a giant mixing bowl. Then get your wet ingredients all mixed together in another bowl (maple syrup, water, oil)—pour this mix over the dry ingredients stirring along the way. It will get hard to stir, make sure all the ingredients are incorporated and plop it onto a big baking sheet (pam sprayed). Spread the layer thin as possible and bake for about an hour, stir and bake for another 30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Immediately add your dried fruit and let sit until cool. Store once it is at room temperature in an airtight container.

Easy to Find Pacifier

That’s right you heard me; there is an easy to find Pacifier out on the market called Paci-Plushies. What the creators of Paci-Plushies did was attach a small, plush animal at the end of the pacifier making it easy to find when you or your child sets it somewhere and also makes it very easy for your baby to place it in their mouth. These small plush animals are able to attach to most name brand pacifiers; what a PLUS!!! When you clean the pacifier you are also able to clean the plush toy as well by throwing it into the wash machine. The pacifiers are 100% BPA and Phthalate free. The soft and adorable plush animal toy will also make a great addition to the rest of the stuffed animals your child will collect over the years and provide a source of comfort as well.

Restaurant quality in the comfort of your own home!

I absolutely love eating restaurant food but after a long day at work the last thing I want to do is go back out and sit in a restaurant. Instead, I would like a quick meal that just tastes like I ordered it straight off a menu. Last week, I tried the new Wanchai Ferry Beef & Broccoli stir fry meal and this was just what I got. Yummy Asian cuisine without the hassle. This was so quick and easy to prepare I had dinner ready in under 10 minutes. Everything I needed was in the bag and it was a balanced meal with a mixture of beef, veggies (lots of broccoli, red peppers and water chestnuts) plus an easy to cook bag of rice. Perfect for two! The meat was great quality, the veggies were crisp and tasted fresh and the rice was tender and fluffy. The brown sauce packet that was included was delicious—a mixture of soy and garlic gave it the perfect touch to the meal. I am SO happy to learn that Wanchai Ferry also has Orange Chicken, Shrimp Lo Mein, Spicy Garlic Chicken and Sweet & Sour Chicken—also coming soon Kung Pao Chicken and Szechuan Style Chicken. Be sure to pick up your coupon worth $1.60 at this link! Their website also has some meal tips to enhance your Wanchai Ferry entrée. This yummy dinner was provided to me by Wanchai Ferry but I would definitely purchase in the future.

Nutty Guys

Nutty Guys is right……. OOOOHHHH WEEEEEEE…. What kind of nuts are you in the mood for. You name it they probably have it. I was so excited to try Nutty Guys pistachios, and Spanish peanuts which were delicious (I will talk more about these later) and then I could not wait to try the dried cantaloupe. I have never had dried cantaloupe before and I was a bit skeptical at first but holy cow it was spectacular. It was like eating a freshly cut cantaloupe with a tiny bit of added sugar. The cantaloupe was not too chewy either it was dried enough to where you could taste the flavor in every bite. I was so excited about the taste I brought a bag to work to see what my co-workers thought. They were amazed as well and asked where they could purchase some for their family. I put an entire bag out for my co-workers and it was gone in about three and a half minutes. Okay now I’ll get off my soapbox and finish talking about the pistachios and Spanish peanuts. They both were very fresh and great for an afternoon snack or for your dessert after dinner. Yes, I said dessert after dinner. Call me weird but I think of nuts as a dessert, it’s like a piece of cheesecake to me. The Spanish peanuts can also be used to bake or to make peanut brittle. If you’re wondering what other products Nutty Guys has to offer take a peek at their website, just be aware you may be shocked at all the goodies they have to offer.

Personal Chef To Go

If you’re looking for a quick, manageable, nutritious, and easy on the go meal then you have to try the prepared gourmet meals from Personal Chef To Go. These meals are very tasty and the presentation is spectacular. I know what you’re thinking this is just another frozen meal, Right? Well think again this is nothing like a frozen meal all the ingredients are fresh and the meals are also shipped chilled never frozen. When you order a meal the meal is not prepared until ordered then they ship within hours of the preparation of the meal so you receive a hearty, nutritious, fresh meal every time. At Personal Chef To Go they prepare a weekly menu so the choices are different from week to week for a variety of flavors. You can choose from pork, beef, chicken, to seafood, to pastas, and small side dishes. Every meal they offer allows you to view the nutritional facts before you purchase but every meal they prepare is pretty darn healthy!!! My favorite is their salads they put a very generous portion of steak on top, which I am grateful for. Most place put 2 or 3 strips of steak Personal Chef To Go makes sure you’re full after every meal.

Everyone knows I have baby on the brain 24/7 nowadays so I decided to get a basinet that fit in with my bedroom and be comfortable for baby. I finally found the perfect one at CSN Baby—you should see their selection of not only basinets but a huge variety of cribs (next on my list). I just ordered this so it is in the works but I am so exited I just wanted to share! Here is a picture:

The second picture is of the basinet converting into a toy box later. I love that feature because you use a basinet for such a short period of time yet this makes it functional later on too. Not only that this basinet has a large mesh storage bin, includes the bedding set and assembles in minutes! Doesn’t it look so cute AND cozy?

Nature’s Baby

What is the first thing that people think of when they see or think of a baby? How cute they are and how soft every single part of there body is. If you want to keep your baby’s skin and your skin for that matter silky, unbelievably smooth, and healthy try out Face and Body Moisturizer from Nature’s Baby Organics. This product is 100% Vegan. Gluten, Paraben, SLS & Propylene Glycol Free. and Hypoallergenic. The ingredients in this bottle are too long to list but you should visit their website and take a peek for yourself, their ingredients are mainly natural and organic. When using this product it is so gentle and delicate on the skin you won’t even know you are using it.

Safety Should Not Be Negotiable

There is nothing more comforting for a Mother than knowing that your child is going to be safe when growing up. From the time I knew I was pregnant to when my child moves out of the house and has their own life; I will worry about every step they make. But, the worries of making sure they will be safe while they lay their precious head down to sleep every night is lessened when you use a waterproof mattress protector by Naturepedic. Naturepedic products eliminate a lot of the hazardous chemicals found in other baby products that are available for purchase. For example, the waterproof mattress protector does not contain vinyl, PVC, phthalates, or latex (for allergy concerns). The pad is made from natural organic materials which consist of two layers of organic cotton flannel on the top and the bottom of the pad. Using organic cotton makes the pad super soft and plushy and highly absorbent. This pad also has the ability to reduce uneven temperatures, sweating, and clamminess that babies can get at anytime throughout the night. I did mention that this pad was also waterproof (WOOHOO!!!) any mom would be happy about that right? Naturepedic installed an ultra-thin waterproof membrane in the center to protect your mattress (what a lifesaver). You should really take the time to jump onto the Naturepedic website they have many other products available to keep your child safe. THANK YOU NATUREPEDIC!!!!

Tommee Tippee

I love that name! Say it over and over! Not only do I love the name I love the bottles and other great things that they make just for baby! I was able to get the 3 pack 5 oz. Closer to Nature bottle set and get this—I have another set for a lucky reader to win! First, let me go into a little detail about Tommee Tippee, then I will give you the low-down on what you have to do to score your very own bottle set! I know how much my baby as well as your baby will love this set. The bottles are designed for easy transition between bottle and breast with its ultra-soft, extra wide nipple. The Closer to Nature set is designed to be the closest thing to the real thing for your baby and help eliminate colic, gas and general fussiness. All Closer to Nature bottles are BPA and phthalate free. The moment you were waiting for! The details of the giveaway. Here is what you have to do: 1. Visit the Tommee Tippee website and tell me a great fact about the Closer to Nature line that I did not mention.
2. Become a fan of them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/tommeetippeeus (this will give you an extra entry.
3. Follow them on Twitter: www.twitter.com/tommeetippeeus (this will also give you an extra entry)
4. Email me at: fitinmilwaukee@live.com-- Make sure you include your fact as well as an extra entries you have earned.
Drawing ends Friday, June 4th. Submit your entries now!
GOOD LUCK!

Organic Valley

The leaders in Organic products are in the top spot for a reason—I am talking about Organic Valley! I love their products and it seems like their offerings are limitless. They have an amazing variety of foods that are produced all while keeping the welfare of humans, animals and the earth in mind. I love their philosophy and their style! They give us such yummy offerings by working with Organic family farmers in every region! Log onto their website to find out six GREAT reasons to always choose Organic! Onto the good stuff—their food! They have the hugest variety of milk (the chocolate is delicious), cream, yogurt, butter, cheese, soy milk, cream cheese, cottage cheese (the creamiest ever), sour cream, eggs, juice, healthy snacks (perfect for on the go) and meat. It seems like every time I go to the store I end up seeing a new or previously overlooked Organic Valley item and it always ends up in my basket. Rest assured that choosing Organic Valley you will get a high quality, healthy and friendly product.

Timeless

What’s more nutritious than lentils, and chickpeas? COOKIES Okay, Okay, I’m just kidding but I had to try and be funny since this is a pretty classy topic. Lentils can be used for all sorts of dishes including meat dishes, chili, baked casseroles, veggie burgers, hearty soups, spiced soups, salads, dips and baked goods. Most of the time lentils need to be cooked anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes or so depending on the type of lentil you’re cooking. Take a look below at the different kinds of lentils I received from Timeless Natural Food not only are the beautiful in color but they are all very different in flavor when cooked properly. On their website they tell you over and over again not to overcook the lentils because they will not turn out right. Well, needless to say my first batch was overcooked and it was not pretty but, my second batch (lentil soup) turned out excellent and the flavor was very powerful and enriched with nutrients. Check out the other great natural products from Timeless including chickpeas, barley, and flax on their web page. Here is a modified recipe that I found online in case you want to try it—it was excellent!

Lentil Soup

Take a big soup pot and add the following:
2 cups dry lentils, rinse well
4 cups broth, 4 cups water

1 can no sodium added corn

1 can carrots

Spices—I did pepper and a no salt added seasoning mix that I had on hand—you can season at the end as well. Let all this boil, then reduce to simmer for about 90 minutes or until your lentils are soft. In the meantime, sauté onions and garlic until the onions are clear—add to the pot. Easy!

Burp Cloths Made from Love!

I have to let all of my readers know that if you ever need to shop for good durable burp cloths; look no further. You really need to look into getting some burp cloths from La Jems. Their cloths are soft, very durable, absorbent, and unbelievably thick. They can be used for more than just burping your little one. La Jems burp cloths are made from 100% soft and absorbent cotton cloth diapers with six layers of cotton weave. These burp cloths are made to go through multiple washings and will not wear out. They will also stay soft and plush for your child’s sensitive skin. You are able to choose from multiple animal designs to be embroidered onto the front of the cloth to add a loving touch!!!

Chicago is RED HOT

Not because of their great city life, beautiful beaches, amazing shopping (I am a little biased being from Chicago myself) but because of their hot dogs. I have great memories of being little and going for a REAL Chicago hot dog – meaning all beef, poppy seed bun and all the fixings! I got my hands on some Red Hot Chicago jumbo beef franks, beef polish sausage and of course the legendary poppy seed buns. The Red Hot Chicago folks sell the real deal, just like I remembered. I fired up a jumbo beef frank just last night and topped with everything as you can see and was in pure heaven. The dog had a little snap to the casing and the inside was juicy and filled with great flavor. The oversized dogs fit perfectly in their soft bakery style buns. I am back to being a hot dog snob—only Red Hot Chicago dogs will do for me!

Top This!

I got some super thin pizza crusts in the mail from Top This this weekend and could not wait to fire up a homemade pizza! The crust was calling my name—it was very thin and had really fire grilled marks right in the hand-made and fully cooked crust! The idea of Top This is to make the crust so great that they take the guess work out of creating a great pizza, it is amazing no matter how you slice it! So all you have to do is top the crust (wheat or white) with your toppings of choice then slide in the oven or even onto your gas grill. They have a ton of pizza recipes/ ideas right there on their website so I used the Portabella Mushroom Pizza recipe below:

Portobello Mushroom Pizza
- 1 Top This pizza crust
- 1 cup loosely packed pizza cheese (3 ounces)
- 1/4 cup diced sautéed Portabella mushrooms
(even better if they are flambéed in brandy at the end)
- 1/4 cup diced fresh plum tomatoes
- 1/4 cup caramelized onions
- Optional: 1/4 cup shredded Fontina Cheese

I had gotten bella’s from the farmers market so they were nice and fresh for my pizza. The only ingredient that I did not have on had was the Fontina cheese which was optional anyways and the pizza was perfect even without it.

Jonesing for some great breakfast?

Add some Jones Dairy Farm Maple Pork Sausages to your lineup and you will be totally satisfied. I picked up some of the All Natural Golden Brown Maple Pork Sausage links and paired them with my homemade pancakes this weekend for a better than going out breakfast in my jammies! For all you gluten free eaters—this product is gluten free! The ingredient list is short and the flavor is tall—just pork, water, maple sugar, salt, spices and maple flavor (really makes the link). I loved these sausages and will be making them a regular on the weekend breakfast menu. I would also like to say that even though you see Jones Dairy Farm products in every single grocery store it is just because they are THAT good—they are still a family run and owned operation who still makes their own family recipes. Yum!

A little candy now and then never hurt anyone!

When I want to really indulge in some great chocolate I usually turn to chocolate coated something or another. Recently, I was able to get my hands on some of this Milk Chocolate coated Almond Toffee by Enstroms. Talk about rich, buttery and chocolately! This candy has it ALL and then some—I think it is their attention to detail and using the finest natural ingredients for candy making out there. I love that the ingredient list is so short for their toffee using only: almonds, butter, sugar, milk chocolate and salt. Simple and delicious describes this treat. Another bonus? They have their toffee cut into little portion controlled pieces so you know just when to stop (helpful for people like myself).

The same but different…

Bachman makes tons of traditional type snacks that you are used to like pretzels, tortilla chips, cheese puffs but theirs are different! First off, they have some very original snacking ideas like their amazing pita pretzel squares—I have fallen madly in love with these. They are a cross between a pita chip and a pretzels salted with just a bit of sea salt and baked until crispy. They come in little bags that are only 100 calories, perfect for snacking. Also in 100 calorie bags are their Multigrain Jax which are cheese puffed curls with tons of flavor and not all the fat and calories in the other brands. The Jax will make you feel like you are being super naughty but lighten up—they did! Even down to their multigrain tortilla chips, black bean tortilla chips, thin pretzels and butter pretzels—they are all packed with giant flavor and prepared with health in mind. These snacks are truly above the rest out there.

That is one Smart Chicken!

What makes Smart Chicken so unique? Their mission is to give you the purest fresh chicken on the market while keeping it the safest and best in quality. The taste showed. I am not sure if it was the simple matter of how fresh the meat was or if it is their own method of using air chill technology instead of water immersion. Another great thing is that they handle their chickens with care, raise them without antibiotics, animal by-products or hormones and meet the standards to be Certified Organic and Certified Humane. Whatever made the chicken so good it came down to the fact that it was juicy, plump and just plain tasty. I was able to try the Smart Chicken Frankfurters as well as a Smart Chicken Whole Chicken. I am going to focus on the whole chicken (both are amazing) since it made me smarter in the process. I had never in my life cooked a whole chicken and decided now was the time. After thawing my 3 pound bird I read that I would have to remove the neck and giblets but lucky for me these were already moved making it more cost efficient since this is not added to the weight (and I didn’t have to do it). So the chicken was totally ready for baking. Surprisingly, the roast chicken was super simple to make. Gather your other ingredients and utensils—spices (I used salt, pepper, paprika, hint of garlic powder), high quality olive oil and some onion to stuff the bird with. Preheat your oven to 350F and place your bird breast side up on the roasting pan or rack. Rub olive oil on the bird then sprinkle spices as desired. Stuff bird with onions and stick in your pre-heated oven. You will need a meat thermometer to get your bird to a safe temperature. My cooked for 50 minutes. You then remove from the oven and put tin foil over the pan and let the roasted chicken set for 15 minutes or so. Then cut and serve. Very tender and delicious! Get yourself Smart Chicken for the best outcome possible—it was amazing and easy.

HOTLIPS

HOTLIPS is a carbonated fruit juice soda that contains pulp from the fruit used to produce the drink. How can a drink that contains pulp be any good you ask????? Well it’s not just good it’s spectacular. HOTLIPS Soda is made from the freshest fruits grown in the Pacific Northwest. Once they cook the ripe fruit then they add a bit of sugar to balance the acidity of the fruit and they also add some water, and lemon juice; that’s it!! My favorite flavor is Black Raspberry the rich but yet sweet subtle flavor flows so smooth and the taste is like eating a berry right off the vine. Check out there other flavors pear, apple, blackberry, raspberry, and boysenberry. Thanks HOTLIPS!!!

Old Fashioned

Some of the BEST old fashioned kettle cooked chips comes from Cape Cod Potato Chips. The Cape Cod creators use only the best premium ingredients from the fresh potatoes that were just picked out of the east coast farmers fields to the way they cook the potato in small kettles which allows for easy access to check the quality and flavor. The Cape Cod Potato Chip company has a very wide variety of flavors including classic (one of my favorites), sea salt and vinegar, sweet and spicy jalapeno, sweet mesquite barbeque, sour cream and green onion, parmesan and roasted garlic, and five cheese just to name a few. I’m also a huge fan of the five cheese flavor this potato chip goes great with all the summer cookouts that I host. If you like cheese even a little bit, you will love the five cheese chip. The five cheese chip is produces with Cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack, Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese all five of these cheeses blended together is like a party just waiting to happen!!!! If you are a potato chip fan you NEED to try these all natural fresh chips.