Saturday, December 28, 2013

Love with Food Holiday Box

I received another box of healthy snacks from Love with Food and this time, it's the holiday box.The Winter Wonderland Box contains:

  • Angel Candy Bar from Betty Lou's.  This candy bar is  organic which would eliminate the guilt when you  eat this sweet treat.
  • Chocolate Diamond from Lindt and Spriningli
  • Allergen-free peppermint from St. Claire's Organic, this is a herbal breath mint.
  • All Natural  Marshmallow Topper, MaddyMelts from Madyson's Marshmallows.  This is handmade with cane sugar, real vanilla and kasher gelatin.  This is perfect for hot chocolate.
  • Chocolate Dipped Madeline by Donsuemor
  • All Natural powdered drinking chocolate from Les Confitures a l' Ancienne
  • Natural Crispbread cracker from 34 degrees
  • Molasses Spice Cookies
  • Spinach Dip Mix from Dessert Gardens


I love this box subscription for healthy snacks.  You get to try different snacks that you don't normally buy from the store.  With such an affordable price, it's worth the try.  
Thanks a lot Love with Food!~

Disclaimer:  The author of this blog did not received monetary compensation  for writing this review.  The products mentioned above were provided for FREE for evaluation purposes.  Opinion is not influenced in any way.



Thursday, December 26, 2013

Seasoned with Love

I received 5  samples of wall decals from Katazoom.  One of the design that I chose is this This Kitchen is Seasoned with Love.  I love my kitchen, it has enough space for me and my kids to have fun while preparing our meals.  This quote could not be more perfect as we prepare our food with love always.

The paintings that you see on both sides of the  big one are the  art work that my daughter  made  last year.  I framed them because I thought of preserving them this way.  It will always reminds us that she made this at our kitchen,  so even if we move somewhere, we will always remember  the fun times that we have at the heart of our home.

Anyway, back to Katazoom, they carry a large selection of beautiful wall decal designs. What I love about wall decals is that, you can easily decorate your wall without too much cost, no mess, and it is very easy to do. Not to mention that it is fun to do even with your kids.  So if you are looking to add some spice  in any room of your home, try considering  decals, they are so affordable and it really add some  "flavor" to the overall look of your wall.  Are you ready to check them out?  Katazoom is just a click away!

Disclaimer:  The author of this blog did not received  monetary compensation in writing the review.  The product mentioned above was  provided for FREE for evaluation purposes.  Opinions are not influenced in anyway.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Baked Apple #Mini Apple Pocket

During the Thanksgiving,  we prepared a very simple meal for the four of us. Here are some of the  food that me and my daughter made.  First up is a cheesy scallop potatoes with bacon bits.  I made some lumpia and pancit and we had barbecued pork ribs.

For dessert, I tried one of the recipes I came across one of the blogs  that I have visited.  This is called baked apple and it's delicious!  I put my own spin to the recipe.

You will need:

1 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) I used NuNaturals)
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
3 cups peeled and chopped apples (preferably Fuji)
6 large square egg roll wrappers (found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket with the other Asian items)
18 sprays I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray (in other words, have a bottle handy!)

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium unheated pot, combine Splenda/NuNaturals, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt with 1/2 cup cold water. Mix until the ingredients dissolve. Add apples and stir. Bring to medium-high heat on the stove and, stirring frequently, cook for 7 - 10 minutes, until apples are softened
  
3. Remove the pot from heat and very lightly mash the apples in the pot with a potato masher or a spatula (I did not mashed my apples, I left it as is). (You don't want applesauce. It should remain chunky.) Return to low heat on the stove, and cook for 1 - 2 additional minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is thick and gooey. Remove from heat and set aside. This is your pie filling.

4. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with foil and/or spraying it with nonstick spray. Set aside.
5. Lay two egg roll wrappers flat on a dry surface. Set out a small dish of water (I used egg whites). Dip your finger into the water/eggwhites, and run it along all of the wrapper edges. (Repeat as needed while preparing your pockets, as it will help seal them.) 

6. Starting 1/2 inch from the bottom, place about 1/3 cup pie filling along the bottom half of each wrapper, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the sides

Repeat this process twice with remaining wrappers and filling, leaving you with 6 pie-lets.
Bake in the oven for 15 - 18 minutes, until edges begin to brown.
As soon as I  took out this baked apple from the oven, my daughter started eating lol.  It was really good and she asks for this  every time e have apples  in the kitchen.  Gladly, I always have  eggroll wrappers in the freezer.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Rylie's Apple Fritters

My daughter learned how  to make this Apple Fritters from watching Giada at Home cooking show on TV..  I love it so she makes this once in a while when she cooks breakfast for us.  I asked her to write  the recipe and she willingly obliged.  I will copy it as she wrote it on her recipe card.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Apple 
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup of milk
  • 2 eggs 
Direction:
  1. Mix  the dry ingredients in a bowl ( sugar, cinnamon, sugar, and flour).  Mix Well.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine  the  milk and eggs.  ix Well
  3. Chop apples into thin slices
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the milk and egg mixture while continuously stirring.
  5. Add the apple slices, make sure that they don't stick together.  Make sure that they are well coated with the mixture.
  6. Fry them in a medium high heat pan for  1 minute.
  7. Line them up in  plate with paper towel to  remove the excess oil.
  8. Dust them with powdered sugar.
  9. Enjoy!
Tip:  You may need to add  just half of the apples and add the other half when you are done frying the other half.



I have never tried making  this yet but typing it here  makes me want  to try it now  while I still have an apple left in my kitchen.  Me and her  are the only ones who eats it.  My son likes  fresh apples and my husband  is not too crazy about it, me on the other hand loves it!

Please remember that the recipe above  was written by an 8 year old.  She wrote  it as she prepares it.  She also wrote the recipe of her Dad's favorite dessert, the Crepes.  I will  post  it separately next time.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

VinoVinti Carbonic Acid Extractor

My husband was telling me about  his co-worker who love attending   wine tasting event with his girlfriend.  He is encouraging my husband for us to go with them sometime, he said that it is so much fun.   It reminds me of  the annual event in  the catholic school in our  area.   Here's a snapshot of my daughter posing in front of the  signage.

Hubby and I  drink wine once in a while when a special occasion calls it.  I use wine  in cooking more than drinking it.  The latest menu that  I cooked  with wine was the pork barbecue.  I made my  own BBQ sauce  with wine and it was delicious.  Below are some of  the photos.


I wonder if my husband's co-worker is aware of  VinoVinti, the carbonic acid extractor.  See, that's the one thing I am not fond of  drinking wine, sometimes you get one that is too acidic.  So glad to see that there is a tool now that you can use to enhance your wine experience.  Maybe, I would love wine  better with the   VinoVinti.  VinoVinti not only extracts the  carbonic acid in the wine but it also improve the flavor.  I would love to give this baby a try, maybe I would appreciate the taste of the wine  more.  

VinoVinti would make a nice gift this holiday season, so if you are still thinking  of what to get to your love ones, if they love wine, this one would be a great choice. I liked VinoVinti on Facebook so that I could get some updates about their  innovative  gadget for wine lovers out there.  Please do like them too.   To find out  the full details about the product, kindly watch the video below.

Disclaimer:
"Please drink responsibly, and as always, only drink if you are at least 21 years or older".

Monday, December 2, 2013

Rotini and Vegetable

Planning for meals everyday is quite challenging for me because I have three different individuals to feed who wants different  kinds of food.  When I ran out of ideas, those microwaveable meals are life savers but they are not always great.  

I bought this rotini and vegetable which is lightly sauced and did not realized that it was an oven roasted garlic butter  sauce flavored one.  I don't like garlic and so is my daughter.  Hubby said it was alright though and my son did not like it wahhh.

Luckily, ginger glazed chicken is very easy to prepare so I added that to the menu for that day.  We ate it with  wild rice.

 How about you, do you find it easy to prepare meals everyday?

Friday, November 29, 2013

Stainless Steel Earth Pan from Ozeri

I was given an opportunity to receive this 10" Stainless Steel Earth Pan by Ozeri,  for review.   This is rated 5 stars  with its longer lasting 100% PFOA-Free Non-Stick Coating developed in the USA.  If you  remember reading my previous posts, I have been scouting  in the store for a good  non-stick pans but  haven't got the chance to find one that I like.  Thanks to Ozeri for giving me this chance because this ETERNA  is made of the highest quality  stainless steel with TriPly construction and a polished mirror exterior.

The thing that concerns me with non stick pans is the harmful toxins.  I am so glad to know that ETERNA is an eco-friendly pan that delivers unprecedented performance without releasing harmful  fumes even on high temperatures.  Cleaning is very easy as the  build up or remaining  food in it just slides off easily with a a mild scrub  of your soft  dish cloth.  We love using it because  making an egg is no longer a battle compared to  cooking it on a regular stainless steel pan that we have.  We have bought several non stick before from different brands but this is by far that one that we love the most.


You can buy this a through Amazon for $38.95 now that is on sale.  This is regularly priced at $99.95 so you will have a chance to enjoy a big savings of $61.  So, if you are looking for a  perfect non-stick pan to use for your kitchen, I highly recommend this ETERNA, it is awesome.  My daughter is cooking   breakfast right now and she keep saying that the  new pan we have is  great for making her  crepe.  To  find out what other products Ozeri have, check out their Facebook  page and like them so you won't miss  what's new  from them.  Thank you so much Ozeri!

Disclaimer::  The author of this blog did not receive monetary compensation  for writing this review.  The product mentioned above was provided for FREE for evaluation purposes.  Opinions expressed is 100%of the authors and not influenced in any way.

Chicken Tikka Masala

I got the  privilege  to  explore the Indian cuisine through the Chicken Tikka Masala spice blend that I received from Love With Food.  My husband love Indian food but I have never tried any so I was excited when I saw the  mix  included in the box.  The recipe  was very easy to  make and I had fun   cooking with my daughter.

Here is the step by step for Arora Creations Chicken Tikka Masala:

You will need:
  • 3/4 cup olive oil (I only used one table spoon)
  • 1 medium onion minced (I used half)
  • 2 lbs boneless skinless  chicken cubes (I only used two pieces medium size of chicken breasts)
  • 1/2 cup minced ginger (I used 1 teaspoon)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced (I used  a little bit of Garlic Gold Nugget as I am not fond of garlic)
  • 8 oz can tomato sauce (I used my homemade tomato sauce)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (I used dried parsley)
*Just ignore the changes I made to the ingredients, I cooked  based on what I  have  available in my kitchen.
How to Cook:
  • Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium heat for 1 minute.
  • Add onion, ginger, garlic,  and cook until light brown.
  • Add Arora Creation Chicken Tikka Masala spice blend and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add tomato sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add chicken cubes and cook stirring frequently for 8-10 minutes.
  • Finally add 3/4 cup water, stir once, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro (I used dried parsley on mine).

You can served this over hot  rice or Indian bread.  We ate ours with  steamed rice.

I have a very sensitive sense of smell and because Indian  foods has a lot of different spices, it made me nauseous.  I love how it tasted though despite the smell.  The kids love them and  so is the husband.  Over all, we had a success on our first Indian cuisine adventure.  I may or may not cook Indian food again but we will see. 

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Love With Food

I received a  goodie box from Love with Food for review.  It is nice that  subscription boxes  whether for food or other  products are becoming trend nowadays because you get to try different products that  you don't normally buy from the store on a  regular basis.  

In all honesty, I don't know any of the  foods that  was inside this box  so I will break it down to you.  The box contains:
  • Tuxedo Pop Corn from Kukuruza
  • Green and Black's Organic Chocolate
  • Maple  Fudge from Laura Secord
  • Ginger Twist Tea from Mighty Leaf
  • Almond, Apricot, and Yogurt Bar from Eat Natural
  • Rosemary Sea Salt Shortbread from Dancing Deer Baking Company
  • Sweet Corn Crunch from Sensible Foods
  • Authentic Indian spice blend from Arora Creations
  • Sweet Potato Popchips from Popchips.
  • Some coupons and  recipes


The first thing that we tried is the short bread with a gentle  blend of fresh rosemary and pink sea salt infused in butter, I love this shortbread!  I give this  two thumbs up because it isn't very sweet and the  light sea salt is very  interesting  twist.

My husband love Indian food but I have never  tried any so I was really excited when I saw this   spice blend mix in the box.  I made the Chicken Tikka Masala  the other night and we loved  it!

I love the slogan of the Popchips "Love without the handles", funny and catchy.  I am the only one who liked this.   like it because  I love sweet potato and it is interesting to eat it  in a different form.
I am not really crazy about this  gourmet popcorn because I love my popcorn a bit crunchy when I pop it in my mouth but because they drizzled  milk and white chocolate on it, it became a bit stale or something like that in texture.
I can't describe the other products I have mentioned in the list above because we haven't tried it yet.  Over all, this Flavor of Fall box has a very interesting  choices of healthy snacks.  My favorite is the  authentic  Indian spice blend mix as I got to explore the  Indian cuisine  for the first time.  You can  see the dish by clicking the link above.
save image Love with Food is a subscription box for $10 a month.  By subscribing you will get to try different organic and all natural  snacks and foods.  It will be delivered to your door monthly so if this is something you want to try, you can visit the link provided  here or Like them on Facebook. Love with Food, together with the handsome Chef, Scott Ryan, is giving back through donating all meals this months to Harvest from the Heart. Check them out and if you decide to subscribe, use HOLIDAY2013  promo code to save $5 off for all gift subscriptions.
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They also have a Thanksgiving  sale that will end in December 1st.  To get the discount, you HAVE to sign up at this specific link http:/bit.ly/LoveWithFood-3DayBlackFridaySale.  Enjoy the savings!

Disclaimer:  The author of this blog did NOT received monetary compensation in writing this review.  The products mentioned above were  provided for FREE for evaluation purposes.  All opinions are  of the author's and not influenced in any way.

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Bon Appetit!

This blog does not focus on food only but also include different kinds of spices that affects our lives. So hang in here and explore the world of fun with us. Please bear in mind that little bit of this and a little dash of that makes a Sumptuous Life!