Happy National Sandwich Day!

 

I wanted to share one of my favorite sandwiches for National Sandwich Day today. This is a Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian sandwich as it has mayonnaise, white cheese such as Swiss, provolone, or pepper jack, and cream cheese. It is perfect for having with soup or by itself. I love it with a glass of buttermilk.

 

Veggie Delight Sandwich

 

Ingredients:

• 2 Slices of Bread (seedy wheat or sourdough) 
• Softened Cream Cheese
• Condiments (mayonnaise, Grey Poupon mustard, stone ground mustard, or horseradish sauce, or a combination)
• 2 Slices of Sliced White Cheese (Swiss, provolone, or pepper jack) 
• Sprouts (aka micro-greens) (alfalfa sprouts, broccoli sprouts, clover sprouts, or radish sprouts, or a combination)
• Sliced Avocado
  
• Sliced Mushrooms (button, shiitake, or baby bella)
• Sliced Tomato
• Sliced Cucumber

 

Instructions:

1. Spread  cream cheese on one of the slices of bread and your choice of condiments on the other.
2. Layer some sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, and cheese on the side with the condiments.
3. Layer some sprouts sliced mushrooms, and sliced avocado on the side with the cream cheese.
4. Put both sides of the bread together with the ingredients in the middle to make the sandwich.
5. Cut the sandwich down the center or across to make two halves.
6. Enjoy!
   

Operation Blessing Recipes From Around The World Book Review and Giveaway

Operation Blessing (OB) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to demonstrating God’s love by alleviating human need and suffering in the United States and around the world. They have served in every state and over 90 nations. For over four decades OB has been working on programs such as disaster relief, health and medical care, hunger relief, and clean water with the support of their generous partners. They help those in immediate need by providing physical relief and equipping them with new knowledge to create sustainable solutions to combat poverty. They listen to the community's needs they serve, instead of telling them what they think they need. They address the core issues behind poverty, rather than only treating the symptoms. Go here to see their global impact.



Operation Blessing Recipes From Around The World is a wonderful softcover booklet of 34 international recipes. These range from breakfast, side & main dishes, breads & desserts and drinks. The recipes originated from 15 countries namely Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Kenya, Israel, Haiti, Guatemala, El Salvador, Japan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, China, and United States. Along with the recipes OB has a relief story for each country of how they helped a situation and made those people's lives better. These stories are just some of the wonderful things OB does to reach out to those in desperate need.

What We Thought:

Operation Blessing is a fantastic organization. We are so glad that they are helping those in desperate need. They have already blessed the lives of so many.

This cookbook that OB has put together is beautiful and inspiring. The stories and pictures are so heartwarming. I love that it has color pictures of each finished dish for each recipe. I love international cooking and foods. This assortment of culinary delights from across the globe brings so many different dishes to the table and the warmth from each country they are created from. I have fond memories of my childhood friend making rice and beans and fried plantains when I would come to her home to visit her. The Pastelitos de Carne and Imam Bayildi recipes sound so good! These are among the recipes in this book. I can't wait to try all of them.

I highly recommend this cookbook! This would be a great gift for someone who loves to cook a variety of foods. It is a wonderful cookbook to expand upon your taste palate and explore other global cuisine from home.

 Complimentary Offer for Operation Blessing Recipe Cards:

We are pleased to offer four (4) recipe cards inspired by international recipes from Operation Blessing’s latest cookbook, “Recipes From Around the World.” Anyone can sign up to receive this free gift after which, requests will be processed and delivered straight to their mailbox.

Get offer here:  https://www.ob.org/mc/recipecards/

  
BUY IT

My readers can get their own copy by giving a donation of any size here!  https://www.ob.org/give/recipebook/

WIN IT

• Prize: Win a copy of Recipes From Around the World
• Host: Operation Blessings and FrontGate Media.
• Who Can Enter: Open to US Residents 18 years or older.
• Selection Process: Winner will be selected on 2/16/2020 and notified by email.
• Where to Enter: Go to this link https://www.blessedfreebies.com/recipes-from-around-the-world.html and fill out the form to enter.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary product to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wordless Wednesday Ham and Potatoes Sarladaise For Dinner

Ham and Potatoes Sarladaise for Dinner. Click for Recipe Link.

Cravings by Chrissy Teigen 5qt Stainless Steel Saute Pan with Lid Review

We received this product free to facilitate this review and also posted this review on Target as well.

The Cravings by Chrissy Teigen 5qt Stainless Steel Saute Pan with Lid is a gorgeous pan that will become a favorite in your kitchen. It is polished stainless steel which makes it very attractive. It has lovely champagne gold accented stainless handles on both the lid and pot that are corrosion and wear resistant. These are riveted to the pot and lid for extra security. These distinctive touches give it, and other pots in this collection, a certain charm that is unique in my kitchen. I love how stunning it looks on my stovetop.

Bottom of pan has the Cravings by Chrissy Teigen logo stamped into it.

Five quarts is a wonderful size to cook all sorts of food. This is a versatile pan that you can use to sear, sauté, deep-fry, braise, etc. It has a great weight and depth to it as well. I love its clear glass lid that I can view through while I am cooking. The handles stay cool to the touch for safe and easy handling. I can pull off the lid to stir the food or take the pan off the burner straight to the table without hot pads and without getting burned. After Thanksgiving I had a lot of turkey that I decided to make into Turkey Tetrazzini, one pot style. I used this pan to make it in. I found that this is the perfect pan to use for one pot meals, especially for my family of 6.

Turkey Tetrazzini in the pan.

It has an aluminum core which ensures great heat conduction and it cooked everything evenly. It comes with use and care instructions and a delicious looking recipe that I cannot wait to try. In the instructions it says it is dishwasher safe, but hand wash is recommended. The pan has a nonstick coating that will not react with foods so it is tremendously easy to clean. I did notice that it had burn marks on the bottom of the pan after I cleaned it, but in the instructions it gives ways to combat this as well as to maintain luster. It also has a limited lifetime warranty.

Burn/scorch marks from cooking in the pan. These will shine up with the recommended additional methods of cleaning.

I think this pot will become my go-to cookware. It is a lovely addition to my kitchen. I highly recommend it!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Zaycon Fresh $.99/lb Fresh Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast! Lowest Price Ever For All!

Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.


Zaycon Fresh has Super Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts at the lowest price ever for everyone, not just new customers. At just $.99/lb for the fall delivery event this deal can't be beat!!! But hurry supplies are limited!

Click to SHOP NOW!

Existing customers? Yes! New Customers? Of course! Order yours now with promo code CHICKEN2018 at checkout. Promo code will expire as limited quantity is sold-out and may be without notice. Order yours now!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this post to let my readers know about this great opportunity and deal. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Green Enough: Eat Better, Live Cleaner, Be Happier (All Without Driving Your Family Crazy!) Book Review

I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Leah Segedie is the blogger behind Mamavation, a wellness blog about how to prevent disease in your home. She is also the CEO of ShiftCon, a social media conference that focuses on food, wellness, health, and sustainability. Leah is a fierce whistleblower of marketing for brands and products and propaganda that are misleading the public and a dedicated promoter of healthy choices. She has been uncovering deception for the last decade and helping others to detox their own lives. Now she has written a book called Green Enough: Eat Better, Live Cleaner, Be Happier (All Without Driving Your Family Crazy!) that tells us how to do just that.

Green Enough is a book that goes into the nitty gritty of just how to Eat Better, Live Cleaner, Be Happier! With her humor and often cheeky take Leah gives us the lowdown of exactly what we need to do to make our lives cleaner, smarter, and healthier all the while by not driving our family insane. This goes into household products and food and even takes you into a room by room analysis on what to look for so we know what to purge and replace with better options.

Green Enough Plastics Guide

Green Enough Chapters:

1. Start With Food
2. Food Packaging, Cookware, and Storage Containers
3. Cleaner Produce
4. Healthier Meat and Dairy
5. Good Eats
6. Room By Room
7. Greener Grooming

My Thoughts:
This book is a wonderful take charge guide to helping give your home and lifestyle a wellness makeover. It is backed with scientific facts and truths that Leah wants us to all know and not be in the dark about. The information, practical tips, and strategies in this book help you make informed decisions about healthy things to bring into your home and the toxins to keep out. Leah's witty approach makes one feel you are having a conversation with a good friend. This down to earth book makes the daunting task of changing more bearable and less intimidating. All the information to having a green lifestyle is spelled out for you step-by-step. It even includes some great sounding recipes! Green Enough covers so much ground! Leah certainly did her research when she wrote this book.

BUY IT
Purchase Green Enough on Amazon for $15.63 for the hardcover.



DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: We received this book for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Some content from this post is reprinted from Green Enough by Leah Segedie. Copyright ©2018 by Leah Segedie. By permission of Rodale Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Available wherever books are sold.

Broth & Stock from the Nourished Kitchen: Wholesome Master Recipes for Bone, Vegetable, and Seafood Broths and Meals to Make with Them Cookbook Review

I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

You may know Jennifer McGruther by her award-winning traditional foods website, Nourished Kitchen, and her first book The Nourished Kitchen. She is also a food educator that teaches workshops on traditional foods, fermentation, as well as food activism. Jennifer lives with her husband and son in Washington State. I personally have enjoyed reading her website and own her first cookbook which I use quite often for her farm-to-table recipes that are sustainable, traditionally prepared, unprocessed, unrefined whole foods.

In her second cookbook she focuses on one area, making and using broth and stock, that is briefly touched on in her first cookbook. In Broth & Stock from the Nourished Kitchen: Wholesome Master Recipes for Bone, Vegetable, and Seafood Broths and Meals to Make with Them she delves deeper into the foodie trend that is making a comeback in popularity with households who want to get back to their roots with their cooking.

Broth & Stock is well laid out and easy to navigate. It starts out with an introduction that introduces the history of broth and stock and why you would want to make it at home. The book is then divided into 6 chapters: The Broth Maker's Kitchen, Master Broths and Stocks, Poultry, Meat, Fish, and Vegetables. The first chapter is an in depth look at what broth, stock and bone broth is; choosing bones to use in bone broth, using wine or vinegar, which vegetables to pick for the broth or stock, herbs & spices, equipment needed, and how to store it. Chapter 2 has many master recipes for use as bases in other recipes. Chapters 2-6 each start out with a brief introduction on the chapter then they have the recipes. Each recipe has the name of the recipe at the top and servings under that,  ingredients along the left side, a gorgeous full-color photo of the completed dish, a paragraph about the dish, and instructions on how to make it. She also include tips and tricks throughout the cookbook as well. Then at the end of the cookbook you have Where to Shop, Bibliography, Measurement Conversion Charts, Gratitude, and an Index.

For myself, who has only made a few broths or stocks in her lifetime, I treasure the contents of this cookbook. This will help me, in my opinion, make better homemade meals in my kitchen. With this cookbook I can make all sorts of soup bases and not only that, I have delicious sounding recipes right at my fingertips to use them in. Also I love that she includes recipes from different countries. These will help me grow my repertoire of meals and give them a good boost. I always love to try exotic things. My favorite sounding dishes from this cookbook are: Thai-Style Chicken Soup with Lemongrass and Coconut Milk (tom kha gai) and Springtime Risotto with Asparagus, Green Garlic, and Chive Blossoms.

I highly recommend Broth & Stock by Jennifer McGruther. Whether you are new to making broths and stocks or a natural, I feel that you will enjoy this cookbook like I have. It is sure to become a family favorite.

BUY IT


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Blogging For Books for sending me this book for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Wordless Wednesday Twisted Carrots

Zari found this fun twisted carrot from the large bag of juicing carrots we get for our horses to eat.

Everyday Homemaking Everyday Cooking Cookbook Review

My family had the privilege of trying the Everyday Cooking from Everyday Homemaking for this review to use in conjunction with our own homeschool curriculum. This is a Homeschool Review Crew Review. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.

Everyday Homemaking is a website designed by Vicki Bentley. On this website she has created practical tools to help parents and caregivers teach life skills like: managing time, cooking, cleaning, planning, organizing, home education, etc. She is the author of a handful of books that teach these skills to others. These include Everyday Cooking and The Everyday Family Chore System. Vicki is a mother of eight children and a foster/adoptive mom of almost fifty. Her family knows well how to work with their busy lifestyle and still get things accomplished.

Everyday Cooking is Vicki's cookbook that she has just newly revised and expanded to include even more of her family's tried and true favorite recipes and helpful tips. Everyday Cooking is book one of the Everyday Homemaking Series. This book emphasizes whole foods and also contains pressure cooker basics, low-carb staples, sample menus, shopping and equipment tips, and even a few of Vicki's kitchen mishap stories. This comes either as a physical book with a glossy cover and coil bound pages or a digital e-book PDF. Both have 198 pages, except the print book has black and white pictures and the digital has color. You may choose from two different colors of cover (red or blue), though the content is the same.

Table of Contents:

• Preface
• Introduction
• Time Saving Tips
• Breakfast Ideas
• Appetizers and Dressings
• Bread and Grains
• Main Dishes & Soups & Sides
• Desserts and Snacks
• Homemade Vanilla Extract
• Low-Carb and Gluten-Free Pantry Helpers
• Basic Measurements and Helps
• Meal Planning and Shopping Hints
• Sample Menus & Menu Planning Masters
• Basic Cooking Skills Checklist
• Basic Kitchen Accessories
• Kitchen Equipment
• The Tortoise and the Hare
• Pressure Cooker Tips and Favorites
• Index of Recipes
• Index of Practical Tips

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:
We received the digital PDF version of the Everyday Cooking. I like color photos for the dishes so I opted for this version rather than the print that had black and white photos. I wish both had the color pictures because the print would have been nice for having instead of going back and forth to my computer (my printer is out of ink). I like the thought of having the coil bound pages and glossy wipe able cover so that it can be used right where you are cooking.

I like the layout of Everyday Cooking. It is pretty straight forward and has similar things lumped together in one chapter. After each chapter there is a section that you may write your own notes. I do wish there were more pictures of the recipes because I am very visual. However, the book does say you can visit their website and social media sites and see more of the color pictures of many of the recipes if needed.Some ingredients are also italicized so you know that they have a recipe in the book to make them from scratch as well. There are also "broken eggs" pictures throughout the cookbook that tell "oops!" moments that Vicki experienced and wanted to share. Grey boxes throughout the cookbook mention time saving or budget-stretching tips too. I love that she puts meal planning masters and checklists in the back so you can print them out and use them. There is also a Food & Nutrition Mini-Unit Study (1-2 weeks) towards the end for junior high/high school students as one portion of a home economics credit that uses the Basic Cooking Skills Checklist.

There are a lot of very simple recipes in Everyday Cooking. My teenagers and even my 9 year old could make a lot of these recipes themselves without any trouble. I like that most of these can be made in 30-45 minutes or less. I didn't know what parboiled or converted rice was and a lot of her recipes that call for rice call for this specific type. This is described in the Basic Measurements and Helps section. This type of rice is NOT minute/instant rice and has higher nutritional benefits than regular white rice and much closer to nutritional value of brown rice, I learned. Some recipes also called for margarine and canned mushrooms...I do not use that stuff, instead I use real butter and real mushrooms which seem to work just fine as an alternative. I like that she has how long to cook recipes with and without a slow cooker or pressure cooker. If you haven't done a lot of homemade breads this is an awesome cookbook for this because it has so many to choose from. It also has multiple ways you can make the main bread recipe into other breads, for example, sweet rolls. I also love that there is a recipe for homemade ricotta cheese, noodles, and pie crust...these are recipes that I would like to try some day.

Everyday Cooking Kielbasa with Kale & Potatoes

We made the Kielbasa with Kale & Potatoes in Everyday Homemaking one night for dinner. I had all the ingredients at home except for the red sweet pepper and McCormick’s All-Purpose Seasoning. I used a green sweet pepper and I looked up the ingredients in this seasoning and added a little bit of each to the pot. The kale we picked fresh from our garden. It had come back from last years planting and taken over almost a whole raised bed. I didn't know a lot of kale recipes and so because we have so much of it this year I wanted to use a bunch of it before winter hits. This recipe sounded really good and hearty. The only thing I would have added was the setting on the stove top when cooking (like high, medium, or low). It cooked fine, but I would have liked to know to make sure I had it on the right heat setting while it cooked. I am so glad I tried it out though because it was delicious! Even my daughter who does not really like kale loved this meal. I will be making the Kielbasa with Kale & Potatoes recipe again and trying it next time with the red sweet pepper!

I will be making more from this cookbook. We are excited to make the Chicken Cordon Bleu because it sounds so good with the alternate smoked Gouda cheese. I will be making this in the next week or so. There are a lot of recipes that sound like they would be wins for my family. These are all easy to prepare & make and don't take that much time to do so. I like cookbooks like this that are not too complicated, but also focus mainly on the healthy foods. I will probably use this as a credit for homeschool home economics for my teens as well. We can not wait to use it more.


Follow Them on Social Media:
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/everydayhomemaking  Tag:  @everydayhomemaking
Hashtags: #hsreviews #homemaking #cooking

BUY IT
Get 10% off The Everyday Family Chore System and/or Everyday Cooking (print or e-book) through Labor Day! The code to use is TOS10books -- apply it to as many books in your cart as you'd like, but make sure to shop first and apply the 10% discount code last. This expires Sept 5th.
  
Read other homeschool curriculum reviews for Everyday Homemaking...

FreezEasy Electric Pressure Cooking 101 Class

I would love to tell you all about a semi-new course that Erin Chase of FreezEasy and MyFreezEasy has put together for all of us that want to learn the ins and outs of cooking with an electric pressure cooker, or Instant Pot as most people know them as. The Electric Pressure Cooking 101 Class consists of 4 modules to teach you about everything you should know about your Instant Pot, how to use the functions, cooking basic ingredients in it, and recipes to make with it.

Here is what you will be learning:

• Module 1: Your Electric Pressure Cooker - all about the: buttons, lid, insert, and cooking speeds. cleaning and care.
• Module 2: A Deeper Look at the EPC Cooking Functions - tips and tricks for the following cooking methods and settings: Soup, Porridge, Poultry, Meat/Stew, Beans/Chili, Rice, Grain, Steam.
• Module 3: Learn How to Cook Different Types or Categories of Recipes - learn how to better understand how to cook these types of meals: Grains - Rice, Pasta, Oatmeal and other grains; Beans, Potatoes, Roasts, Soups & Chilis, Freezer Meals, and Vegetables.
• Module 4: The First 10 Meals You Should Make in Your EPC - cooking demos for the first 10 meals or ingredients you should make in your EPC. You'll make:
  • Week 1: Brown Rice, Hard Boiled Eggs (Egg Salad), Dry Beans (Cuban Black Beans), 40 Garlic Clove Whole Chicken, and Three Bean Chili (Ground Beef based)
  • Week 2: Steel Cut Oatmeal with Berries, Butternut Squash-Apple Soup, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, ​Steamed Broccoli, and Chive Crusted Beef Roast with Red Potatoes
  • BONUS: Meal Plan & Shopping List digital downloads for Making These 10 Meals

The class and video lessons are short and to the point so you can take your time and learn at your own speed. You can watch as many of the videos as you like when you can and even come back and pick up where you left off! We know that you have a busy schedule, so learn as your schedule allows. Before you know it your EPC (Instant Pot) will be helping you save time preparing and making dinners at home for your family!

Secure your spot in the online class now and save money! Register now and get the whole package for only $12!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this post to let my readers know about this great opportunity and deal. I received the course free to facilitate a review later in the year. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

The Craft of Herbal Fermentation Course from Herbal Academy Pre-Registration Savings!

I received this course for free to facilitate a review along the way.

The Craft of Herbal Fermentation Course is brought to you by the Herbal Academy. Transform your kitchen with herbal fermentation! Did you know that herbs can enhance the art and science of fermented foods and beverages? Explore the realms of herbal fermentation and discover new ways to capture the beneficial qualities of herbs with the help of life-supporting microorganisms through fermentation and homemade brews. In The Craft of Herbal Fermentation Course, the Herbal Academy will teach you a unique way to share your passion and curiosity of herbalism with others!

This new course will explore how to incorporate herbs into popular home ferments like water kefir, kombucha, and lacto-fermented vegetables and even how to make herbal beers and ales. The exclusive video tutorials, printable charts, and written lessons in this course guide you through the exciting process. The course includes exclusive recipes to get you started!

Pre-registration is happening now before the course starts on March 7th! If you pre-register you will save on the course cost. I have pre-registered for the course and and you can also join me in learning about making fermented foods and drinks with herbs to enhance taste and flavor. I am most excited for this course mostly to learn how to make my own Kombucha, Water Kefir, and Lacto-fermented Herbs and Vegetables. This will be a great resource for beginner and advanced home brew and ferment hobbyists alike.

Here is the course overview:



Pre-registration runs now through March 7th at just $99! After March 7th, pre-registration will close and the course will be available for $119 – $149.

At checkout, you can choose to upgrade your registration with the beautifully-designed fermentation tutorial and recipe guides! Take these durable, laminated instructions into the kitchen with you while you prepare your herbal ferments to help guide you through the process and inspire you with exclusive recipes!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this post to let my readers know about this great opportunity and deal. I received the course free to facilitate a review later in the year. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Go Gourmet Slammers Snacks Review and Fun Valentine Printable

With Valentine's Day around the corner, finding healthy treats that won't give kids cavities or bellyaches can be hard. When walking down the Valentine's aisle you will see that stores have stocked the shelves with sweets, chocolate, and candy that are filled with sugar. With diabetes and obesity on the rise among kids, why not offer them a healthier, but fun option for Valentine's this year?

Slammers Snacks are tasty, superfood snacks designed to fuel kids with organic fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, acai berries, beets, sweet potato, carrots, and yumberries. Some even have ancient grains for added nutrition like: chia, quinoa, and amaranth. Not only are they a healthy alternative to sugar-laden candies and convenience store snacks, Slammers are, mess-free, easily digestible, and serve as a great source of essential vitamins. Three new Superfood Smoothie flavors: Creamy Banana Chocolate, Pomegranate Grape Crush, and Watermelon Kiwi Burst come packed with seven grams of protein. Creamy Banana Chocolate is their newest and has the least amount of sugar!

Our Thoughts:
We absolutely love Slammers Snacks! They are so delicious and good for you. We received two cases total with a selection of all the flavors to try. We love them all! I love that they are organic too. My favorite is the New Watermelon Kiwi Burst flavor with added protein. These are in a convenient pouch that lets them easily travel with you for snacks on-the-go.

Slammers Snacks can be given as valentines or placed in lunches with cute lunch notes. I have made some printable Valentine's/Lunch Notes with some Slammer Snacks graphics for you to wrap around your Slammers Snacks when sending them with your kids' lunches or as a special Valentine's Day snack. Click the above graphic to go to the PDF and save it on your computer to print out. Cut around the whole rectangle for each wrap, wrap around the Slammers Snacks, and tape remaining edge to secure it around the superfood smoothie pouches.

BE SOCIAL
Website: http://slammerssnacks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kidsgourmetslammers
Twitter: https://twitter.com/slammerssnacks @slammerssnacks
Instagram: https://instagram.com/slammerssnacks

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

Foodie Friday Sweet Pepper & Tomato Crustless Quiche #FoodieFriday

I love living on a farm and owning chickens! One of the benefits of having my 8 hens is the free abundance of farm fresh eggs. We get many different colors and sizes. Sometimes we are blessed with an unusually large egg. I am not sure which one of our hens laid the one shown in the picture, but it turned out to have a double yolk inside!

I also love that I can teach my kids where our food actually comes from. Having it come straight from our own farm is a wonderful teaching and learning experience for them. I believe that this is extremely important for future generations because so many children now grow up thinking that food comes from the grocery store or supermarket. I love that I have this awesome opportunity with my children to teach them gardening, agriculture, home cooking/baking and other dying skills that need to be passed on.

Speaking of home cooking, my kids and I made two Sweet Pepper & Tomato Crustless Quiches the other day for dinner. I love a good quiche and crustless ones are so easy to whip together! My chickens' eggs also make them the best! Here is the recipe for this one...

Sweet Pepper & Tomato Crustless Quiche

Ingredients for one quiche:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large sweet pepper; seeded, destemmed and diced (We used a green and red one because we made two quiches, but any color is fine.)
• 5 eggs
• 1 medium onion; peeled and diced
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• A handful of dried tomatoes (We had these in a bag from a summer of slicing, dehydrating, and freezing them. If you don't have homemade dried ones I suggest getting some sun dried ones from the store.)

Equipment needed:

• 1 - 9 inch round pie plate
• 1 whisk
• 1 - 12 inch skillet (I love my cast iron ones!)
• 1 spatula
• 1 mixing spoon
• 1 mixing bowl 
• 1 oven with stove top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in the middle. 
2. Lightly butter the inside of the pie plate to make it nonstick and set it aside.
3. Saute the onion and sweet pepper in butter in the skillet over medium-high heat, stirring with the spatula occasionally, about 5 minutes.
4. Whisk together eggs and milk in the mixing bowl, then add the onion and sweet pepper mixture and most of the cheese, saving some out to go on top before baking. Fold this mixture together with the mixing spoon.
5. Pour this mixture into the pie plate, sprinkling the last of the cheese on top.
6. Take the handful of dried tomatoes and place them evenly on top.
7. Bake uncovered until top is golden and egg blend has set in center, about 35 minutes.
8. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes, before cutting into wedges.
9. Enjoy!
 

Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil Offer

US Family Guide provided me with this promotional information and offer to share with my readers. I am getting something for free in return for posting this information.

Kasandrinos International proudly offers a single source organic extra virgin olive oil and other high quality food and skin care products. Kasandrinos International only offers this year's harvest of olive oil.

Get 20% off! - Use discount code: holidayguide2016 at checkout to apply discount at www.kasandrinos.com.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil Offer I am getting my a FREE Complimentary Oil Olive Package. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Never Buy Bread Again – 20+ Homemade Bread Recipes Cookbook Kickstarter and Review

My mother used to bake bread all the time. Her Honey Whole Wheat Bread and sweet roles were my favorite growing up. I loved to watch the dough rise. That heavenly smell and taste of fresh baked homemade bread from the oven always made me happy.

Fast forward to now and I confess that the only bread I have made is sweet quick breads like banana or zucchini and Amish Friendship Bread. Making more breads has been something that I would like to do, but I have made excuse after excuse in doing...my kitchen is super small, it will take to much time, what if the yeast doesn't work, what if the dough doesn't rise, what if I don't knead it enough, etc. These doubts have stopped me from making more breads at home.

Enter the Never Buy Bread Again – 20+ Homemade Bread Recipes Cookbook by Laurie Neverman of Common Sense Homesteading. This cookbook is on Kickstarter right now and needs your support to be funded! I received it free in digital format to review.

This bread cookbook is far more than just a cookbook with recipes. In the beginning it has helpful Troubleshooting Tips for Bread Baking. These tips help the hesitation, reluctance, and uncertainty to become confidence and clarity. These tips include the: list of tools/equipment needed to bake bread, flour that should be used and why, water and ingredient temperature for bread making, yeast to use, amount of yeast per package, proper way and order to add ingredients, temperature needed for bread to rise, reasons for bread not rising, reasons for dough being too sticky, position in the oven to place the bread for cooking, amount of loaves that can bake at a time, reasons for overly dense bread, amount you should knead your dough, reasons why your dough smells sour like alcohol, reasons why bread didn't brown, and reasons why your bread collapsed. There are also storage tips, recipes for some of the author's favorite things to eat with bread and recipes that will help you repurpose leftover bread in new ways.

I love that these recipes are all simple, straightforward healthy breads that I can make myself. These recipes don't have additives, preservatives, or ingredients that I cannot pronounce in them. They do have whole ingredients that are both healthy and delicious. I also discovered that my sister that has a gluten intolerance can eat many of these too.

Recipes Included and Some Other Tips:

• Basic Sandwich Bread
• Easy Sourdough Bread and Cultivating Sourdough Starter
• Potato Bread
• Cinnamon Swirl Bread and High-Altitude Bread Baking Tips
• Crusty French Bread
• Pretzel Bread
• English Muffin Bread
• Homemade Seasoned Croûtons
• Betty’s Buttermilk Rye Bread
• Old Fashioned Bread Pudding
• Swedish Limpa Bread
• Dark Pumpernickel Rye Bread
• Green Garden Dip
• Duncan’s “Meat in a Loaf ”
• Duncan's Favorite Sloppy Joes
• Coconut Flour Bread and To Gluten or Not to Gluten?
• Brazilian Cheese Bread and Refrigerating Raw Dough
• Gluten Free Sandwich Bread
• Gluten Free Flatbread and Freezing Dough and Par-baked Breads
• Gram Irene’s Cornbread and Storage Tips for Baked Bread
• Southern Style Cornbread
• Flavored Butters
• Classic Beer Bread
• Beer Cheese Fondue
• Top Secret Banana Quick Bread
• Cheesy Garlic Zucchini Bread
• Basic Flour Tortillas
• Basic Biscuits
• Chicken and Dumplings
• Pancakes
• French Toast
• Popovers
• "Wheat Thin" Style Crackers
• Kolache and Filling Recipes for Kolache
• Polish Doughnuts
• Cinnamon Rolls
• Monkey Bread

The Never Buy Bread Again – 20+ Homemade Bread Recipes Cookbook is the perfect addition to my cookbooks! It is a great resource for everyday breads, quick breads, yeast breads, gluten free breads, & holiday and special occasion breads. I can't wait to try out these wholesome homemade breads and other recipes. I want to start making my own bread at home so that I will never have to buy bread that is bland or preservative-laden again. This cookbook is perfect for someone like me who was intimidated by the whole bread making process. It is also for people who want to save money and avoid the harmful additives and chemicals in most store bought breads.

BUY IT
If you would like to get a copy of your own you can by supporting and backing the Kickstarter for the Never Buy Bread Again – 20+ Homemade Bread Recipes Cookbook! Only $10 gets you a digital PDF copy and $25 for a spiral bound print copy of the cookbook! There is only 7 days left to go so hurry!!!

 
DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this book for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Good Fast Eats Cookbook Review

I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

“Good Fast Eats” Summary:
Ready to eat in just under an hour, these recipes are healthy, delicious, and easy to make! With recipes like Eggs in Purgatory, Moo Shu Pork, and Cajun Spiced Cod, you won’t have to spend a fortune or a lot of time cooking or cleaning up. Your family will love these fresh one-pot meals perfectly balanced with amazing ingredients and spices. Cooking has never been easier or more satisfying!

About The Author:
Amy Flanigan is a food blogger at bellyfull.net, recipe developer, video maker, mommy, dog owner, baseball fan, lover of cookies, and constantly craving pie. She has been featured on Huffington Post, Calphalon (a cookware producer), Babble.com, BlogHer, Macy’s Culinary Council, Skinny Mom, and HerLife Magazine.

Our Thoughts:
The Good Fast Eats Cookbook has a great layout! It starts out with an introduction about why Amy wrote the book and some tips that help get food on the table without the fuss. It then gives a list of things needed to have on hand to make the recipes from within this book in the Stock Up section. After this it has the recipes in these categories: Chicken, Pork, Beef, Seafood, Meatless, Soup, and Sweets. Each recipe has a title, a description, serving size, preparation time, cook time, total time, ingredients, and directions. Each recipe comes with a mouthwatering photograph of the finished dish. At the end there are Cooking Measurement Equivalents, Metric Measurement Equivalents, an Index, Acknowledgements, and a bit About the Author.

This cookbook is great to have on hand when you need homemade dinner in a pinch. Most of these one-pot/pan/dish meals only take 15-30 minutes to complete. The recipes are hearty, comforting foods and delicious desserts that satisfy. The Beef Stroganoff looks very similar to my recipe. I am looking forward to trying the Sweet and Spicy Chicken Black Bean Enchiladas, Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet, Greek Meatball Pockets with Tzatziki, Cranberry-Almond Chocolate Bark, & Ricotta Blintzes. All the recipes sound so yummy!

BUY IT

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this cookbook for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

MyFreezeEasy 5-Day Make One Freeze One Challenge

MyFreezeEasy is having a 5-Day Make One Freeze One Challenge!!

Here's How the Challenge Works 

• Step 1 - Pick Your Meal Plan
• Step 2 - Go Shopping (MyFreezEasy Gives you the Shopping List!)
• Step 3 - Make One Meal, Freeze One Meal with MyFreezEasy Next Week
• Step 4 - Enjoy Your Freezer Full of Food!
• STARTS MONDAY, OCTOBER 24th!!!

Here is a video that explains it in more detail...

JOIN NOW, BEFORE MONDAY! IT'S FREE!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog post because I thought you might be interested in knowing this information and taking part of this challenge. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook: Cub-Friendly Cooking With an Adult Review

I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook: Cub-Friendly Cooking With an Adult written by Mike Berenstain has 40 delicious recipes that cater to different American holidays around the year. Join Mama, Papa, Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear as they share 40 of their favorite Bear family holiday recipes. These include traditional favorites like Hot Apple Cinnamon Cider, Cozy Hot Chocolate, and Pumpkin Pie to fun and unique recipes like: Candy Corn Punch, Creepy Crawly Pasta Salad, and Gobbler Apple Muffins.

This hardcover cookbook is laid out well. At the beginning there is a contents page with a list of the recipes in each section and their page numbers. It has 6 sections for different holidays: Valentine's Day, Easter, Forth of July, Fall Festivities, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Each section has 6-8 recipes. Each section starts out with a scripture, a short story, and a poem. Each recipe has a title, what is needed, and directions along with a photograph of the finished food or beverage. At the end there is a page of Kitchen Measurements in both standard and metric.

A peek inside The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook.

I remember The Berenstain Bears' book series from my childhood. I love them and have ever since I was very young. These books teach children how God want them to live everyday. The Berenstain Bears' book series teach children good character traits and values. I love the simplicity of the illustrations and country town feel that the Bear family has.

I adore The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook! My kids love to help me cook and bake and this is a great cookbook just for that bonding experience. I can't wait 'til we can make the: Christmas Holiday Pinwheels, Valentine's Day Pizza, Krispie Easter Eggs, or Forth of July Freedom Trifle! There are so many other fun recipes as well. It has wonderful kid-friendly recipes that are perfect to make with your children or grandchildren for the holidays.

BUY IT


You can also purchase The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook: Cub-Friendly Cooking With an Adult at Zondervan for $12.99.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Garden Lites SuperFood Veggie Cakes Now at Northwest Costco Stores! Garden Lites Review

Garden Lites are delicious and healthy snacks, muffins, and entrees that are packed with vegetables as the first and main ingredient. These nutrient-rich, heart-healthy foods are vegetarian and GMO free. A lot of their products are also gluten free, dairy free, nut free, soy free, and/or allergen free (look at packaging to make sure). Most do contain eggs. Look for Garden Lites at many stores across the US in the refrigerated section, including local to me stores like: New Seasons Market, Whole Foods Market, Target, Walmart, and now Costco!!

Garden Lites products we received.

We got to try Garden Lites: SuperFood Veggie Cakes, Chocolate Muffins, and Blueberry Oat Muffins. I love the fact that they are all easy to heat up and take with you on-the-go. These are also great for a snack or side dish. These were all very yummy and I'd definitely buy them if I saw them in the store.

Garden Lites SuperFood Veggie Cakes are small veggie-rich cakes that are only 100 calories per cake and have a Weight Watchers PointsPlus value of 3. These are vegetarian, GMO free, gluten free, dairy free, and nut free. Like all Garden Lites, vegetables are their first ingredient. They are packed with a super food veggie blend of carrot, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, onion, red bell pepper, and zucchini! These are available exclusively at Costco in the refrigerated section as a box of 12 veggie cakes. These should be kept refrigerated or frozen until eaten.

I found these very tasty and easy to make. Since it has been hot here and the oven heats up my house my preferred method was popping them in the microwave for about 25 seconds. You can also cook them in the oven or toaster oven on 250 degrees on a baking sheet for 12 minutes. These cakes reminded me of a Japanese recipe I have made in the past called Okonomiyaki (vegetable pancakes) or a vegetable filled quiche/souffle. I love these for breakfast, snack, or with a meal. I can easily pack them for lunches when my family goes on outings too. I love how healthy and delicious these are and that I can understand all the ingredients on the packaging.

Garden Lites SuperFood Veggie Cakes and Muffins.

Garden Lites Muffins come in a assortment of flavors with seven different variations. These are great at getting vegetables into your family's diet without compromising the flavor and if your kids are picky eaters these might just be the ticket to a healthier snack alternative. Comes individually wrapped in BPA free plastic and the box contains 4-6 muffins depending upon the variety. These should be kept frozen until eaten.

We got to try their Chocolate Muffins and Blueberry Oat Muffins. They are both packed with fresh zucchini and carrots. They are both: a good source of fiber (3g) and whole grains (5g), vegetarian, GMO free, allergy-friendly, gluten free, dairy free, and nut free. At 120 calories per muffin these have a Weight Watchers PointsPlus value of 3. These have 4 muffins per package and are easy to pop in the microwave bag and all on high for 10 seconds if defrosted or 35 seconds if frozen (although microwaves do vary and mine seemed to want an additional 10-35 seconds so the middle wasn't still cold). You can also defrost at room temperature for about 4 hours if you aren't in a hurry to eat them right away.

The Chocolate Muffins are similar to lava cakes I've eaten. They are moist with a gooey center of melted semi-sweet chocolate chips. The very first two ingredients are zucchini and carrots and you can hardly taste them! They are hidden and you won't even know they're there. My kids and I liked them and ate 'em up.

The Blueberry Oat Muffins are delicious and moist with plump blueberries filled inside. You can see the shredded carrots and zucchini if you look, but these are delicious anyway. They also have gluten-free oats in them along with other gluten free ingredients. My kids and I liked these best because blueberries are one of our favorite berries!

SOCIAL • CORNER
Go to the Garden Lites website to see what other products they have.
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BUY IT
You can now find the Garden Lites SuperFood Veggie Cakes at Costco Stores across the country, including Texas, the Southeast, the Southwest, the Northwest and the Northeast regions. You can order these online if you live in the Continental US with free shipping at Healthy Goodness. You can also locate a store near you to purchase the other Garden Lites products.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Online Food Stamps Petition #HealthyFood4All

Sign the petition at ThriveAction.org!

My family has been on food stamps before because of rough times. We lived off of food stamps when we were in Florida. We had moved from Winchester Bay Oregon after getting our car repossessed and evicted from where we were renting because we had been told promises that were not kept by our landlord and the bad economy didn't help either. My husband's sister was getting married in Florida and having a extravagant Disney Wedding there. Even though I had just had a baby, my daughter Tatiana, the month before, we decided that we were going to sell my husband Brian's CNC router and use the money to drop everything to be there for his sister's wedding. We gave and sold everything away that we could in the short time frame we had and stored the rest in our friend's garage, planning to come back for it once we got the chance to do so.

We had three kids at the time all under the age of four. We all hopped on a plane to Orlando and once we got there got a rental van and found a hotel with free internet access and small kitchenettes inside the rooms so we could cook something if we wanted to. Brian took back the rental van and purchased two bicycles and a bike trailer that fit our two oldest children + groceries in it (I would ride with baby Tatiana in a baby carrier on my back also). We also purchased a family season pass to Sea World so that while we were looking for work and a better place to live the four of us wouldn't just be cooped up in the one room hotel room driving each other nuts. Then we all went to the wedding and it was very nice to see Brian's family again. This was just the starting of our adventure there.

If ever there was a place that was really accommodating to the homeless, Florida was it! We were set up on WIC, food stamps, free health care, and a non-denominational church handout program that came out to our hotel and set up tables of hand-me-down clothing and food once a week. I got a small job clipping ads out of the newspaper for a tire company so that we could get a little money for other essentials we needed that food stamps and WIC didn't cover. Orlando also had a fairly nice public transit system which came in super handy too, especially once we found out our daughter, Tatiana, had a brain tumor and needed multiple doctor visits that were all across town. Even though it was trying at times we were very blessed and the experience helped our family grow and become more close knit.

Unlike WIC, food stamps has fairly lax regulations about what food items you can redeem with them. You can purchase unhealthy foods and drinks if you like. "Soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers, and ice cream are food items and are therefore eligible items." My family would often choose these items because they were cheaper than the more healthy alternative and did not use up our food stamp money as fast. If we had been given a more reasonable opportunity that had healthier food and drink choices back then to redeem with our food stamps, we would have taken it.

More and more people have access to smart phones and technology that also allows them to use the internet even at or below the poverty line. 74% of people who live at or below the poverty line have internet access, while only 30% have access to a car. This was certainly true for us at the time we had food stamps in Florida. Also, currently food stamps can only be used in brick and mortar stores. This means that the options to use food stamps, especially for the nearly 23.5 million people who live in food deserts, areas in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food, are limited. These people might also live hours from the nearest SNAP approved grocery store! If food stamps could be redeemed online—with the same rules that apply when buying in brick and mortar stores—more people would be able to purchase healthier foods. They could also save time and be able to get food and drink shipped directly to their door! This would be a huge convenience for someone who is disabled and/or without money for gas or transportation.

Now you have the chance to help Americans become healthier. Right now, Thrive Market offers a way to purchase nonGMO and organic food for a 25-50% discount online. Part of Thrive Market's vision is to make healthy, wholesome foods accessible to everyone. By signing Thrive Market's petition at ThriveAction.org for the USDA to make food stamps redeemable online you will help improve food stamp usage and make healthier food more accessible to those Americans who need it the most!

SOCIAL • CORNER
● Facebook.com/ThriveMkt
● Twitter.com/ThriveMkt
● Instagram.com/ThriveMkt
● Pinterest.com/ThriveMarket
● Youtube.com/c/ThriveMarketCo

@Bookieboo (of Mamavation) and @THRIVEmkt is hosting a #HealthyFood4All Twitter party with @ActivistMommy, and @HoneysLife on Tuesday, July 19th at 6pm PST/9pm EST. You can RSVP and Enter Giveaways HERE!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this post to let my readers know about this petition. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog. Please also see my similar post on Planting a Fruit/Nut Orchard and Edible Garden with Food Stamps (SNAP EBT).