The Fruity Treat That Screams Summer

Not only does this new recipe scream summer, the temperature finally hit an all-time high of 80 yesterday which was like a balmy tropical island heat wave for Minnesotans! I hope wherever you are you were feelin’ the heat today too! Although not all was perfect outside—unfortunately the wind was way breezy and ruined my attempt to sit out and go through some magazines for recipes. Good thing we have a screened in porch! So this recipe I am featuring today is yet another of my attempts to “copy and paste” many recipe techniques and ideas together to achieve a unique and original new recipe! If you’ve followed my blog for awhile now, I am sure you know that I get the most satisfaction out of creating my own recipes rather than following a written recipe. What can I say? I don’t like to follow the rules recipes! ;-)Needless to say, it turned out to be what I (and my family,friends,etc)thought a winner! So much so that I am entering it into a local rhubarb contest and the winner gets to prepare and speak on your dish at the annual rhubarb festival. Fun, right?! I hope you have access to rhubarb, because this dessert is a summer must from a BBQ to a family renunion!

Sweet Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel Bars

*Serves: 16 *Bake Time: 55 min.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, chopped
• 1 recipe Ginger Icing (below)
• 1 1/2 C quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 C all-purpose flour + 2 Tbsp
• 3/4 C packed brown sugar
• 3/4 C butter
• 1/4 C granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 Tbsp of powdered strawberry Jell-o mix
• Slices strawberries for garnish, optional
• **Ginger Icing**: 3/4 sifted powdered sugar, 3 to 4 tsp. of milk, 1/4 tsp of ground ginger

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a 8x8x2’ baking pan with foil, letting the sides hand over. Lightly mist with cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, stir together oats, the 1 C flour, and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3.Set aside 1 C oats mixture and press remaining into bottom of your pan. Bake 25 minutes.

4.Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together granulated sugar, 2 TBSP flour, ground sugar, Jell-o powder, and spices. Add rhubarb and toss to coat.

5.Spread mixture on hot crust. Sprinkle reserved oats mixture; press lightly. 

 6.Bake 30-35 minutes until top is golden and filling is bubbly. While it’s baking, stir together the ginger icing adding milk until desired consistency is achieved.

7.Once done baking, cool on rack. Drizzle icing and top with sliced strawberries if you choose. Lift from pan; cut into bars. Makes 16

Good for you Goodies: Peeled Snacks

  Hope everyone had a wonderful Monday due to the fact that Monday’s sometimes get a bad rap, but now that a lot of us our out of school/college, everyday can roll into the lazy next day without a care—of course this isn’t a reality for those taking summer courses, or those who are employed. Sorry if that’s you! Hopefully at work you have access to a computer and you can secretly read blogs! Blogs can always make boring things fun, right?! So that leads me to today’s post…..

The Good for You Goodie: Organic “Just Peeled” Fruit and Nuts in 8 Varieties

The Company: Peeled Snacks

The Chew Review: It is kind of hard to describe all the Peeled Snacks even with pictures—they are definitely not dried fruit, but they are not fresh fruit—it’s more like in between. The best I could describe it would be a gummy, not really fresh, but not bad tasting fruit. Hopefully you follow? Ha ha, if not be sure to give them a try regardless of my opinion! For me, these were not my favorite Good for you Goodie I have featured. I would much rather have dried fruit, these were just different,although my dad sure had no problem finishing off all of the bags! Before I give ya the full review here’s a little more about the company and their snacks—“At Peeled Snacks, we believe snacking should be a satisfying part of life. We enjoy delicious, wholesome foods, and know that when we eat healthy, tasty snacks, we energize our minds and bodies.Ingredients matter! We keep our snacks as close to natural as possible by using high quality ingredients. When you bite into a juicy piece of fruit or a crunchy nut, you’ll wonder why anyone would want to add sugar or fat. We’ve had enough of seeing high fructose corn syrup and other artificial fillers in the foods we buy. Many companies try to save money by using less natural ingredients and replacing them with sugars and fats. At Peeled Snacks, however, using premium ingredients is NOT something on which we’re willing to compromise.” Totally cool! Check out the grub I got =)

          [[Gotta love the rainbow colors—super fun right?!]]

From left to right—Cherry-go-round, Apricot-a-lot, Apple-2-the-Core, Banan-a-Peel, Pine-4-Pineapple, go-Mango-man-go, Cashew later, Almond-daze. All fun and crazy names; Love it!

• Cashew later & Almond-daze: Besides the catchy names, these cashews and almonds are nothing too special, but very good! I liked the extra hint of salt in the almonds and dido with the cashews. If you’re in the market for some new nuts, try these because they come in cute colorful packaging!
• Banan-a-Peel: You better believe I dived into the bananas first!

Not the prettiest things you’ve ever seen and not the best banana I’ve had either. Really chewy to the point where I almost had to spit it out. Not sure how else you could use these besides eating them plain? The plus side to these is they do have 2% Iron, 23% Vitamin C, 4% Vitamin B1, and 8% Vitamin B6. Gluten, dairy, wheat and cholesterol free. I say eat a real banana, or some dried banana crisps.

• Apple-2-The-Core: Same story here. They do taste like the fruit, but still too chewy for my liking. Here’s a pic in case your curious.

 

So bad news, I didn’t even try the other flavors of fruit, but instead asked my dad and he claimed he liked them all, but then again he is the garbage disposal one with the biggest appetite in the house, so you would really have to try these out yourselves to find out if they fit your fancy!

Stayed tuned for tomorrow and a brand-new sweet summer treat created by yours truly!

p.s. If you want some Holey Donuts, give it a shot at coming up with your own flavor and win some here.

Good for you Goodies: Pure Inventions

For all of you that were just as shocked about the snow as me, I am happy to report sunny skies and a reported temp of almost sixty today! My oh my is weather unpredictable! Is weather where you live already well into summer? I sure hope so for your sake! =) So today’s Good for You Goodie is not necessarily a goodie you might expect. It does not fit in with the prior chips, cookies, fruit, etc. that I have been featuring; this is slightly different, but still great nonetheless!

The Good for You Goodie: Antioxidant Water Shots

The Company: Pure Inventions

The Chew(More like slurp) Review: I was really excited to feature a new type of Good for You Goodie on the blog since I haven’t really dipped into the use of vitamins as a source that is good for you other than obtaining vitamins and minerals from food(which can be almost impossible to get necessary amounts in food form), so sometimes we can all use a little help which is where Pure Inventions comes in! Pure Inventions was founded in 2003 and is known to be a lead supplier of nutritional, liquid supplements promoting a healthy lifestyle. The goal of their products is to help people achieve wellness in a way that is easy, convenient, and simple to incorporate into a hectic lifestyle. [Hey even college students can forget to take their multi’s!] The whole products line is all natural, fully standardized, no calorie, no caffeine, no artificial sweeteners, no preservatives or alcohol and are gluten-free.

I was beyond excite d to receive not one, not two, but THREE full sized bottles of Pure Inventions to try! I wish I could split em’ all up and share with everyone—because these are neat!

• Green Tea—Peach

So the only thing I can say that is a disappointment bummer about Pure Inventions is the price! The retail price for this 2 oz bottle is $24.60. But that is for 60 servings. It really just depends on where you want to spend your money—personally I think this is a good investment. I tried each flavor in my water bottle for easy on-the-go nutrition and I loved the Peach flavor! Now these are not like powdered drink mixes with tons of flavor, but more of a subtle hint of goodness in your water. About this flavor--“Peach Green Tea Extract has over 80% polyphenols per serving. Scientific Studies show that Green tea may help to support the immune system, promote a healthy metabolism and promote increased energy. Studies show that Green tea may also promote cardiovascular health, healthy skin, healthy cholesterol and good dental health while supporting a balanced blood sugar.
Green tea has been used as a therapeutic remedy for centuries. Treat yourself to a refreshing iced tea or add to hot water for a soothing, peach-infused route to good health! 1 serving of Peach Green Tea Extract equals the benefits of 100mg of green tea - a healthy dose of prevention!”

• Fruit Extracts—Cranberry with Elderberry

This one had a really unique and berry fruity taste! It was great alone, but I plan on trying it in some berry sparkling water to jazz it up a bit!! Here’s more on this flavor--“Cranberry with Elderberry contains the whole cranberry, including the skin, natural fiber and seeds! Cranberries are known to be a powerful antioxidant.
Studies show that consuming cranberries may support urinary tract health, the digestive system, kidney health, and may help promote a healthy LDL cholesterol. Elderberries are potent sources of anthocyanins and may help boost immunity, reduce stress and promote cardiovascular health.”

•  Pure Inventions’ Fit & Slender

Now, I myself do not need a fit&slender supplement—I am actually trying to add some meat on my bones =) But, it would be a great sidekick in helping people achieve a healthy weight and make it easier to maintain it. For that reason, I am saving it in case my family skinny gene ever fails me!! I did try it for reviews sake and it wasn’t my favorite flavor out of the bunch. It was kind of strong and I couldn’t really put my finger on the exact taste—but like I said, that is ok because I won’t be using it!

Here’s the scoop on the Fit&Slender formula--“It is a liquid dietary supplement, designed to help you with healthy weight management.  The effective ingredients in Fit + Slender have been carefully selected to ensure maximum effect in an easy to use, tasty liquid concentrate.
Effective Ingredients in Fit + Slender : (NO ephedra, NO alcohol, NO caffeine, NO stimulants!)
o L-Carnitine: Helps burn fatty acids for energy
o Garcinia Cambogia: Helps curb appetite and inhibits fat production
o Green Coffee Extract: Maintains a healthy glucose level and aids in the breakdown of fatty acids (fat burning). Helps metabolize carbohydrates
o White Kidney Bean Extract: The first clinically studied carbohydrate blocker shown to inhibit the digestion and absorption of starch calories.
o White Tea Extract: Powerful antioxidant; increases fat burning and interferes with the absorption of fats and carbohydrates
o Lo Han: Aids in digestion with zero glycemic index
Fit + Slender can be used up to three times daily.  Optimal results can be achieved when combined with healthy eating and exercise.  Consult your physician before starting any diet or exercise program.”

Cereal Sale Sunday

Hey guys! Today has been a hectic day—my great grandma is in her 90’s and has to get a put to sleep and have her hip popped back in. So she was brought down to the bigger hospital about an hour away. Please keep her in your prayers!! Tonight was supposed to be homemade pizza night, but you know how plans can change fast!! I’ll be back full blast in morning. Just wanted to tell ya about a special sale going on for a few more days over at Kay's Naturals! Their cereal is by far one of my favorites! So if your in the mood for some new bang in your bowl, now is the time to order up!

For Our Kay's Gluten-Free Customers Only!!

For a limited time only, we are offering you, our Kay's Gluten-Free customer, 30% off and free shipping with orders over $60 (after discount). In addition to this discount all cereal is currently an additional 20% off, so when you check out and enter code "mayflowers" you could receive as much as 50% off cereal and free shipping with a $60 or more purchase (after discount). With savings like this we know you can stock up on your gluten-free cereals and snacks.

Get 30% off with code "mayflowers" (one word & case sensitive) and free shipping with a $60 or more purchase, offer expires May, 19th.

www.kaysglutenfree.com

The Girl Scout Pledge

  I thought for sure by the middle of May, we would be mowing the grass, unpacking shorts, etc., but this morning when I woke up I realized mother nature is way too unpredictable, and I am becoming less and less fond of her! There was a sprinkling of none other than SNOW on the ground & it is still flaking down during mid-morning. What a way to start a “supposed to be spring” day right? Good thing tomorrow is supposed to be warmer, so these unwanted flakes will be gone before long! But, there’s always an up-side to everything, and when the weather isn’t the best, it gives me an excuse to bake. =) When I heard that my mom or dad didn’t get a visit from the Girl Scouts this year, I was shocked, and I know they were secretly disappointed that there’s no cookies! So, I decided to play Superwoman and try my hand at making some homemade Girl Scout cookies. Of course their favorite are the Samoas, which looked and sounded hard/complicated to make, but hey you never know unless you try—and boy am I glad(and my mom&dad)that I tried! You can get the recipe here. I did make a change though—I omitted dipping each bottom of the bar in chocolate, because there was plenty of chocolate already on top. The recipe called for 10 oz of chocolate, I used just 1/2 C of semi-sweet chips and the chocolate flavor was just right! So check out my step-by-step picture tutorial that you can pair with the recipe, since it didn’t already have one =)

Good for You Goodies: Sonoma Crisps

Good day all =) Figured I’d hit you up with a new Good for You Goodie. I have received a couple of stellar boxes in the mail the past couple of days—lets just say there’s some things coming up you do not want to miss! Including today’s post—good thing your already here. Read on!! [[BTW—Make sure to check out my girl Laura over at PineappleGurl and her awesome feature Alphabet Fruit—fun stuff!)

The Good For You Goodie: Dried Fruit Crisps

The Company: Sonoma Crisps

The Chew Review: Yes—another dried fruit stash to add to my ever-growing collection; good thing I eat em’ fast! I knew that Sonoma Crisps would be unique when compared to the rest. They are made Sebastopol, which is a small town in Sonoma County, California. (Wish I was in California again!) Anyways, they have 4 products—Apple Sticks in Original, Apple Cinnamon Sticks, Golden Delicious Apple Sticks, and my favorite, the Raisin Crunch.

I will start with my favorite!

Raisin Crunch was the first bag I plucked out of the box that Sonoma so generously sent.(Thanks again!) I loove raisins and will pretty much eat them any way. But I had never had these kind before! Here’s what Sonoma has to say--“We developed the crunchy raisins snack after listening to customers who didn’t care for the squishy texture or unique taste of traditional raisins.  The sole ingredient is high-quality raisins grown in the warm sunshine of Fresno, California. Using a unique, oil-free process, we essentially “inflate” the raisins, turning them into a light and crispy snack that literally pops in your mouth. Traditionally, most raisins have been used for baking and cooking, but Pop'n Raisin can be enjoyed in a wide variety of ways…as a snack…as a salad topper…in virtually any culinary scene you can imagine. It’s a whole new concept for enjoying those world-renowned California Raisins.
Even if you’re not a big raisin fan, don’t hesitate to try Pop'n Rasin. With one crunchy pop, it will change everything you’ve ever known or thought about the traditional raisin.”

I think that pretty much sums up why I loved em’! Check out how round and jumbo they are. Yes, I still love my standard chewy raisins, but these are excellent all in their own way. Crunchy but airy, delicious but light. I will definitely be buying these for future munching! I am going to try some in cereal and see how it works also.

 

 

 

 

Cinnamon Apple Sticks were my 2nd favorite of the bunch—but I could have guessed they would be because a cinnamon/apple combo has yet to fail to disappoint me.

Here’s Sonoma’s snippet--“Apple Sticks Cinnamon are created using the same oil-free, slow-bake process as the Apple Sticks Original, with a pinch of cinnamon thrown in.
Just like when making apple pie or cider, adding a touch of cinnamon gives the apples a rich, aromatic flavor while removing the bitterness of the cinnamon itself.
Each bag of Apple Sticks Cinnamon contains the equivalent of 1½ apples, making it a fun, flavorful and healthy snack with just 80 calories, no fat and a full 12% of the recommended Daily Value of fiber.”

I think adding cinnamon anytime, anywhere is great and with these the cinnamon flavor was not hidden at all. Plus my favorite thing besides the taste of course was the awesome “french fry” look! I prefer eating dried fruit in this form more than any other! Why you ask? Just because it’s fun! =) I think these are going to be great dipped in some light caramel sauce.

Golden Delicious Apple Crisps were truly delicious. I had yet to try a apple crisp made from a golden delicious, but it was up to my standards by a long shot! Sonoma says--“Golden Delicious is a new fruit snack from Sonoma Crisps, featuring a lighter taste and somewhat milder flavor than our snacks made from the bolder-flavored Apple Sticks Original.
Like our other apple snacks, each bag of Golden Delicious contains the equivalent of 1½ apples, with just 70 calories, no fat and a full 8% of the recommended Daily Value of fiber.
Golden Delicious is made exclusively with select Golden Delicious apples from the state of Washington.”

It did have a somewhat milder taste, but not boring at all! Great spin on an apple crisp! =)

 

 

And last but not least the Original Apple Sticks. Now don’t get me wrong—these weren’t bad, just original. And as you all know, I love originality but these were still not my favorite of the bunch, just because I have had original apple crisps before. Still, these were special due to the fun fry shape again! Here’s what Sonoma has to say,"Made with only the finest – and freshest – Apple Sticks Original is a new wholesome snack!
With each bag containing the equivalent of 1½ apples, you can enjoy a deliciously light snack at just 70 calories, with no fat and a full 8% of the recommended Daily Value of fiber.
During the apple season from Summer to Fall, we use the freshly-harvested apples of our native California. The rest of the year, we select apples from the state of Washington, America’s largest grower.
To preserve and capture the apple’s natural mild flavor and subtle hint of tartness, we bake Apple Sticks Original slowly and carefully, giving them a crispy texture (without using a single drop of oil).
We invite you to try a bag – and taste for yourself why Apple Sticks Original is a uniquely flavorful way to snack right.”

Overall I am definitely giving Sonoma Crisps an A! I highly recommend their products due to what I thought was originality with the shapes and tastes—and of course those crazy good raisins! They could be in your local grocery store, or you can always order from Amazon. Have a awesome day!

Fast and Cheap and Delicious—Oh My!

If you guessed, the title of this post is supposed to be in the tune of “Lions and Tigers and Bears—Oh my!” Yes I love Wizard of Oz and I am happy to say that Judy Garland’s hometown is only about 45 minutes from where I live! I guess the whole reason I am rambling on about the Wizard of Oz is because it’s windier than a tornado outside(they said 40 mph winds!), and tornadoes immediately get me thinking about Wizard of Oz! I think they should make a remake, do you?

Anyhoo, I won’t make you put up with my random thoughts for the day more than I already have! =) Today’s recipe is based on a challenge I am trying to do which involves only using the food items we already have in our overloaded cupboards and basement versus going out and buying things that I may already have. Of course this rule does not apply to things like fresh produce, cheeses, or milk.(check out my top money saving tricks for produce below!) Anything perishable that we use up fast. Other than that though I am really going to try hard to base recipes on the abundance of canned goods, boxed goods, and other things—because before I know it, they could go bad, and there goes some money down the drain. And who likes to waste money? Especially in this economy?! :-| I encourage you to try this challenge as well—if you do, let me in on your recipes PLEASE! =)

A Couple of CaSaundra’s Tips for Saving on Produce

* Bell peppers are something I always buy. But make sure you always weigh the peppers even if the two you are buying are identical in size. Why? Because one could have more seeds which can significantly increase the net weight ending up in you having to pay more for seeds in a pepper which you throw away!

*If the vegetable misters just sprayed the veggies, make sure you shake it off good because even a little water can add weight which again will end up in you paying more.

*If you want a fruit or vegetable for a recipe that is not in season, don’t fork out big bucks just to get it, try heading to the frozen department and see if you can get it there. Frozen fruits/veggies are frozen at their peak which means they retain tons more nutrients than fresh.

One of my standby products I love to use in recipes is Pillsbury Crescent rolls or Breadsticks because they always offer up great coupons either online or in your local newspaper’s flier. (I am happy to say I saved a whopping $14.00 last week with coupons—whoo hoo!) I don’t use these products just because they offer coupons, but because with some fresh and gooey dough ready at your fingertips, the possibilities are endless. I couldn’t wait to share my yesterday’s dinner creation with you =)

Peppery Sausage Pizza Bundles

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Pillsbury refrigerated breadsticks
• 1/4 C chopped green pepper
• 1/4 C chopped onion
• 3 TBSP pizza sauce + extra for drizzling/dipping
• 1/4 C shredded cheese(any flavor you like—I used mixed)
• 3/4 C of finely chopped sausage(the choice of what you use is completely up to you—I used Harvest Apple Chicken Sausage from Whole Foods

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 F. Then unroll breadsticks and section into 4 squares each consisting of 3 breadsticks placing on a greased/tinfoiled cookie sheet. Pinch together the seams, so they no longer look like they can be ripped apart.(Picture below)

• Sauté onions, peppers, and sausage until veggies are fork tender (3 minutes), then take off burner and stir in 3 TBSP of pizza sauce.
• Take cheese and sprinkle evenly onto breadsticks, and then top each square with filling.(Try to get each one even.
• Then wet fingers with water and bring all four sides around the filling and pinch together. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.
• Pop in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until golden. Once out of the oven, you can slather with more sauce or put some in a dish for dipping!

And since this recipe couldn’t bear to be served alone, I continued my challenge of using only what we had to make--->

Easy Cheesy Tomato Gumbo

Serves:4 Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of Campbell’s Healthy Request Tomato Soup with Tomato Pieces
• 1 bag of Boil-in-Bag Rice
• 1 bag of California Blend frozen veggies
• 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 C of milk
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:

• Boil rice in microwave. Meanwhile pour soup into a saucepan adding the vegetables, sauce and milk. Once rice is done add that.
• Turn burner on to medium heat and let soup simmer. Stir in the cheese before serving. And of course add additional seasonings to jazz it up a bit!