17 Oct 2016
by linettefm
in All Natural, Cooking, Coupon, Food, Fruits and Veggies, Natural, Non-GMO, Nutrition, Organic, Product Samples, Product testing, Review, Samples
Tags: #MomsMeet, 40% less sugar than leading brand, 450mg Omega-3, 5g Dietary Fiber, Available in Classic and Dark flavors in 13oz jars and 22g packets, Baking, Buttery Popcorn, Cane Sugar, carob flour, Certified Organic, chia seed oil, Classic and Dark flavors, Cocoa, cooking, Fair Trade, Fair Trade Certified Palm Oil, Filling, flaxseed flour, Food, gluten free, Hazelnut, Inulin, Moms Meet, No Trans Fats, Non GMO, Nutiva, Nutiva Classic, Nutiva Classic Hazelnut Spread, Nutiva Coconut Oil with Butter Flavor, Nutiva Coconut Oil with Butter Flavor Review, Nutiva Coupon, Nutiva Dark, Nutiva Dark Hazelnut Spread, Nutiva fods, Nutiva hazelnut Spreads, Nutiva promocode, Nutiva Review, organic, Organic Hazelnut Spreads, Organic refined expeller-pressed coconut oil, organic unrefined red palm oil (for color), organic vegan buttery flavor, palm olein, palm stearin, red palm fruit oil, refined coconut oil, Review, Saute, Spreads, Spreads on breads, Sunflower Lecithin, Sweet Spreads, vanilla flavor, Vegan, VitaCost
Hazelnut spreads are my weakness and when I saw that Nutiva actually makes both a classic chocolate blend and a dark chocolate……I knew what I would be baking up storm with this season (and the next). Nutiva, took the (my) hazelnut spread addiction a step further, by providing us with an organic option. This is a game changer as finding just natural products is difficult with these spreads and most contain artificial ingredients to even nasty ones that take the enjoyment of indulging away. This is why I stopped eating what I enjoyed so much as a kid. Hazelnuts are my favorite and you combine chocolate with them, well it’s a perfect marriage. I always wished they made a dark chocolate variety but in the end, I just kept wishing they added less sugar and sweet syrups to the spreads! My hazelnut spread was slowly lost as time went by and when the company was sold to another food company, I lost any hazelnut or even chocolate flavors that remained. I started just calling it the brown spread. Sort of sounded gross but it summed up how I felt about what I had lost.
Nutiva comes in and saves the day…..heck, my childhood memories. My mind is running with ideas from truffles to cakes made with their spread. I was worried that I was building up the idea and would open up the jar to just find sadness. Nutiva was very generous with the kit they sent and I received:
Verdict:
When it comes time to purchase coconut oils, I always resort to Nutiva as my go-to brand. The brand has never failed me when it comes to quality ingredients and they are constantly innovating the brand with the new products they added. Everything is always a must buy after I have tried it once. You can’t say that about many brands out there. Nutiva’s selection may not be as grand as others but knowing that what you are buying is not only made with premium and clean ingredients, you also know that it will taste good. I am all about eating well and organic when possible, but the taste and texture has to be there for me. I don’t like the idea of “eating good” but not being happy about what I am eating in the first place. Nutiva has made me a fan of coconut oil to now being able to add their Organic Buttery one to the mix. I was already at times mixing unsalted butter with my coconut oil in the first place but now I won’t have to. The best part, you taste butter but it’s not there. Nutiva managed to use sunflower to create this genius concoction. I assumed the butter was there when I cooked and ate a pasta dish I made but while eating, I started reading the bottle and noticed this is a “butter alternative”, not actual dairy. It’s even Vegan friendly! Pure genius and I will definitely be purchasing this mix again.
Next comes the Hazelnut spreads. Um, they are back and can I even admit to being better than before? I taste hazelnut again. That was gone after my third jar of trying and I bought the third bottle from another brand by telling myself maybe the other 2 jars were bad batches. You know, made on a Friday at the factory and everyone wanted to leave early kind of batch. Cocoa is the second ingredient followed by Palm and then the nut! No skimping here and I feel the spread is smoother not only in taste but texture. No grainy or oily feel when consumed. The quality of the chocolate is present and no rancid weird taste of what I call “fillers” when not only hazelnuts are used. There is a reason the hazelnut and chocolate combination has been a hit for generations. It works and Nutiva did not mess with that. I finally can have my spread and they listened to me even though I never said anything directly to them, but like some magic Nutiva lowered the sugar. Yup, by 40% less than the leading brand. This is why the power of the chocolate and hazelnut is what you get at every bite……finally, less freaking sugar. I am not anti-sugar but like salt, just a touch so you can still taste the actual ingredients you want. There is also many advantages buying Nutiva’s spread where you get Omega-3 (450 mg), Fair Trade Palm oil, to Organic and a Gluten Free product. Anyone can eat this because the goal was to make the best hazelnut spread with the best ingredients and this is why (and others) agree that so far Nutiva has beat the competition by a huge margin!
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Connect with Nutiva at:
I received the above product(s) free of charge from Nutiva and MomsMeet. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
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14 Oct 2016
by linettefm
in All Natural, Cooking, Coupon, Family, Food, Fruits and Veggies, Health and Beauty, Home, Kids, Living, Natural, Non-GMO, Nutrition, Product Samples, Product testing, Recipe, Review, Samples
Tags: #BobsRedMill, #MomsMeet, 7g fiber, 7g protein, Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cup, Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cup with Flax and Chia, Blueberry Hazelnut Oatmeal, Blueberry Hazelnut Oatmeal Cup with with Flax and Chia, Blueberry Powder, Bob's Red Mill, Bob's Red Mill Coupon, Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oatmeal Cups Review, BROWN SUGAR, Brown Sugar and Maple Oatmeal, Brown Sugar and Maple Oatmeal Cup with Flax and Chia, Cane Sugar, caramel color, Chia Seed, Chia Seed Flaxseed, Cinnamon, Classic Oatmeal, Classic Oatmeal Cup with Flax and Chia, Coupon, Dried Apple, dried blueberries, Fiber and Chai blends, Flaxseed, gluten free, Gluten Free Whole Grain Oats, Good source of iron, Hazelnuts, Modified Food Starch, Moms Meet, Natural Flavors, Natural Maple Flavor (Maltodextrin, Nutritional Yeast, Protein Powders in Chocolate, Pumpkin Seeds, Ready in 3 minutes, Sea Salt, Steel Cut Oats, Target, Vanilla, Vegan, Whole Grain, Yellow kernels (popcorn)
As the days grow colder, like everyone, I tend to seek out warmer meals and this includes at breakfast time. I consume oatmeal through out the year and my way to change my selection, is by adding seasonal fruit to the cup. This way my cups change and I get to enjoy what the seasons have to offer. What can I say? Oatmeal can get boring as much as my granola does and let’s be honest, this is why I view granola as cold oatmeal! Adding dried fruits, nuts, seeds to even a dollop of yogurt can brighten up a cup on any day.
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I have been a fan of Bob’s Red Mill for years. They just never fail me. I started first by buying their flour decades ago and then as they released more and including meals (i.e. nut flours), I was happy to see them reach the west coast. It’s kind of nice not having to order online all the time and when places like Target started supported the brand….heck, I am thrilled.
I was recently part of the Bob’s Red Mill Oatmeal Cups campaign from MomsMeet. They were kind and generous to send out samples to try and share and like the signature that runs so true to Bob’s Red Mill, they included additional products to share. Love them! Such a giving company and please take a moment to read about the company on their website, you will fall in love with how they treat their employees. There is true pride and respect for the products they make for us. The other part that I have enjoyed being a Bob’s Red Mill fanatic, is they eat like I do. This adding chia seeds to flax seeds to enhance not only your taste buds but your nutrition is something I learned from them. Yes, they taught me to care more about what I eat and always made it easy for me from offering flax seed both whole and in milled form. No excuses in being able to eat better!
The Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oatmeal Cups kit included:
Verdict:
The Oatmeal cups are phenomenal. You can use the microwave direction or the add hot water to the cup one. I have been using a mix of nut milks and water to enhance the flavor and not that the cups lack taste, but I sometimes seek a richer background on those colder mornings. All the ingredients are real and clean, no fillers and even making sure to use gluten free oats. The Nutritional Boosters that you can also add are the protein powders to create a morning power meal. You can even go with the unflavored blend they offer online or why not start your morning with some chocolate. It’s is like having a hot cocoa and oatmeal in one cup and it is actually good for you. I make the “Choco-Monkey” blend with the classic oatmeal cup, a spoonful of Chocolate Protein powder, almond milk with water as the fluid, then after heating I add chopped bananas and walnuts with a spoonful of peanut butter in the center. It’s almost like a molten lava cake with that gooey peanut butter center and I feel sinful eating it because oatmeal never tasted this good. My guilt vanishes when I start adding up the protein and it turns out to be a cup filled with healthy nutrition. Eating well goes beyond opening a mealy tasting bar and going out the door in the mornings. The Bob’s Red Mill cups come with tops, so if you have time to pick up a latte, you have time (3 minutes) to give yourself a few microwave seconds to eat the cups as they come or enhance them to your liking. You are worth it and your family will join in because things that taste good don’t get questioned. They just make smiles 🙂
Connect with the wonderful crew at Bob’s Red Mill at:
I received the above product(s) free of charge from Bob’s Red Mill and MomsMeet. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
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23 May 2015
by linettefm
in All Natural, Coupon, Family, Food, Fruits and Veggies, Home, Living, Non-GMO, Nutrition, Organic, Product Samples, Product testing, Review, Samples, Uncategorized
Tags: #DaiyaPizzas, #MomsMeet, Basil, Beyond Meat, black pepper, Brown Rice Flour, Calcium Sulfate, Cane Sugar, caramel color, Coconut Oil, compressed yeast, Coupons, Crimini Mushrooms, Daiya, Daiya Cheddar Cheeze, Daiya Cheeze, Daiya Cheeze Lovers Pizza, Daiya Fire-Roasted Vegetables Pizza, Daiya Foods, Daiya Margherita Pizza, Daiya Mild Mozzarella Style Shreds (filtered water, Daiya Mozzarella Cheeze, Daiya Mushroom and Roasted Garlic, Daiya Pizza, Daiya Pizza Bianca, Daiya Pizzas, Daiya Pizzas Review, Daiya Review, Daiya Supreme Pizza, evaporated cane sugar, expeller pressed canola and/ or expeller pressed safflower oil, expeller-pressed canola oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for flavor), garlic, Garlic Powder, gluten free, Gluten-Free Crust (water, Green Bell Pepper, ground fennel seed, inactive yeast, Italian Sausage- style Crumble (water, lactic acid (derived from sugar), lactic acid (vegan, Lactose Free: Gluten Free: Non-GMO: Kosher Certified, milled flax seed, Moms Meet, Natural Flavors, Non-Dairy, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and/or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, Nutritional Yeast, Olive Oil, Onion Powder, Onions, Paprika, Pea Protein, pea protein isolate, pizzas, potassium bicarbonate, potato starch, psyllium, Red Bell Pepper, red chili pepper flakes, Red Onion, Red Onion. May contain naturally occurring sulfites. We use non-GMO ingredients in all of our products., roasted garlic, Salt, Sea Salt, Soy Free, Spices, Tapioca Starch, titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral), Tomato, Tomato Basil Sauce (water, tomato paste, Tomato Sauce (tomatoes, Vegan, vegan natural flavors, vegetable glycerin, Vegetarian, white whole grain sorghum flour, Xanthan Gum, Yeast, YEAST EXTRACT, Yellow Bell Pepper
Even if we are a household without dietary restrictions, I still like to mix things up a bit. Eating the same way is just utterly boring no matter how good the food can be. To not get in a meal rut means I need to introduce new foods and start weeding out the things we want to take a break from.
Daiya Foods Pizzas, is a leap of many kinds for us. For one, we rarely eat frozen prepared meals and/or side dishes. I do freeze meats in raw form and that is as frozen as we get, along with frozen veggies and fruits. You just can’t grab something from the freezer and nuke it……yeah, that comes back and bites me, so I made some tamales and the such for those days I want to actually use the microwave beyond just softening butter in it. Secondly, I have tried gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, to meatless but never really ventured into non-dairy, unless it’s a fruit based gelato or some kind of sweet treat. This means Daiya foods is eating a way for us that is entirely new because it’s taking everything we have tried before, but all in one dish and at the same time. I’m game!
I was offered to try out the pizzas and no one had ever tried anything from Daiya Foods, except for a faux cream cheese style spread. Some of my group admitted to seeing the cheezes in the dairy alternative aisle at Sprout’s, but never actually tried it. Okay, this is now an entire new experience for us all.
Daiya Foods makes 6 Pizzas to choose from and they all sound delicious and tempting:
- Supreme Pizza, which includes a meatless sausage topping from Beyond Meat
- Pizza Bianca Pizza, featuring a white bean sauce that has mushrooms and spinach toppings
- Cheeze Lover’s Pizza, a simpler non-topping pizza, which features Daiya’s version of cheezes, like Mozzarella and Cheddar
- Margherita Pizza, a traditional twist on a classic and comes with tomato chunks and basil
- Fire-Roasted Vegetables Pizza, Daiya did not skimp and you have three bell pepper varieties, onions, garlic, tomatoes and even a dash of basil
- Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Pizza, even when it comes to mushrooms, Daiya makes sure you get something beyond the button kind. You have shiitake and crimini in a blanket of roasted garlic and all nestled on their tomato sauce
Fire-Roasted Veggies Pizza
Supreme Pizza
I purchased two of the selections available, the Supreme and the Fire-Roasted Vegetable to try out. This was what was available at Sprout’s and they were redoing that section when I was shopping and I grabbed the ones that looked more tempting. I grabbed to of the veggies kind and one of the supreme. First, one up to cook and see how well it is received is the Fire-Roasted Vegetable:
The pizza was easy to cook and even though the instructions stated to cook directly on the rack, I just got a new range and it’s less than a week old. A few of the cheeze shreds were dangling off the crust, which I like when eating but not when cooking, so I opted to cook the pizza on my pizza stone just like I would any pizza.
Easy to cook, you just pre-heat the oven to the listed temperature and then put the pizza in.
Such beautiful vegetables that even this pizza looks beautiful in it’s frozen state.
The pizza was cooked and ready in 13.5 minutes! You have the option to use the standard bake and convection instructions were listed, so I went with that cooking option.
Verdict:
By the seven minute mark, you could smell the vegetables and they smell as good as they look. Daiya did not skimp on toppings and that is always a plus in our book. The crust is crisp and upon slicing, you hear it cut just like a normal pizza crust would. The dough has a darker tint that can be described as almost wheat-like in color. It also tastes like a wheat crust but a good one! Daiya nailed it when it came to how the crust tasted, broke apart when eaten and this made the eating of the pizza enjoyable. The vegetables are out of this world. We all agreed the freshness and texture makes you wish Daiya sold the veggies by the bagful. They are roasted but not soft and a mushy mess from being frozen. There is still texture and they are so good, plus the tang you get from the tomato sauce provides a nice balance of flavors. The sauce is light and not super sweet, you just taste fresh tomatoes and a touch of basil. Now, the only small negative is the cheeze. The browned portions we all agreed tasted better than the whiter ones, so toasted on top is the way to cook the pizza if you desire this flavor profile. The cheese does not melt and or string apart like normal dairy versions, it’s almost a little too soft in texture and one guest felt it was like sour cream in taste. I did not feel the sour notes were present but I can see where the comparison in texture can be made. This was the only downer but because the crust and everything else was top-notch, it would not prevent me from buying it. It’s a pizza that I would say has that “rustic” taste but think of it more as a flat-bread pizza with superb toppings and cooks in 15 minutes or less!
The other positive is that 2 pizzas and I had boneless chicken wings to pair with it, filled us! I still had dessert to serve and when it came to putting the third pizza in the oven (The Supreme), we were full. I thought that is a good thing because 8 people were fed very well and we were satisfied with what we ate, so we opted to give the third pizza to the guest that is always late. She also brought a third extra guest, so she could enjoy the pizza for dinner (versus lunch) when she got home. Okay, I’m thinking if I give free meals away, people will start showing up late now 🙂 I’m also eye-ing those cheezecakes they sell and they have a Key Lime one……oh’ yummers!
Connect with Daiya Foods and enjoy their products at:
I received the above product(s) free of charge from Daiya Foods. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
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26 Feb 2015
by linettefm
in Uncategorized
Tags: 854442005150, All Natural, Ardenne, Ardenne Farm, Ardenne Farm Mixes, Ardenne Farms, Baked Goods, Baking, Baking Mixes, Baking Soda, better for you baking mixes, Brown Rice Flour, BROWN SUGAR, Butter, Cakes, Cane Sugar, certified gluten free, chocolate, Chocolate Cookie, Cocoa, Cookie Mixes, cookies, Corn Starch, family, Giveaway, gluten free, Gluten Free Flour Blend (White Rice Flour, home, ice cream sandwiches, Made in the USA, Monocalcium Phosphate), natural, Natural Vanilla., Non GMO Aluminum Free Baking Powder (Baking Soda, Part Number:00515S, potato starch, Product testing, Promo, promotions, Recipe, Salt, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, sweepstakes, Tapioca Flour), Uncategorized Tags: #ardennefarm, Vegan, Water, Win Cookie Mix Box, Xanthan Gum
***GIVEAWAY ALERT***
Ardenne Farm’s is offering one of my wonderful readers one free Chocolate Cookie baking mix, just like the one I received. To enter, all you need to do is:
- Follow the company on Facebook
- Via Twitter and
- And, leave me a comment on this posting (the review for the product).
Almost as simple as baking these cookies!
I will announce the winner in March 7th, so you have a little over a week to enter. Good luck! Ardenne Farm’s will be sending out the product to the winner.
Final Product as baked at home
I used a simple Vanilla Bean and then press and enjoy!
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26 Feb 2015
by linettefm
in All Natural, Baking, Family, Home, Natural, Product testing, Recipe, Uncategorized
Tags: #ardennefarm, 854442005150, All Natural, Ardenne, Ardenne Farm, Ardenne Farm Mixes, Ardenne Farms, Baked Goods, Baking Mixes, Baking Soda, better for you baking mixes, Brown Rice Flour, BROWN SUGAR, Butter, Cakes, Cane Sugar, certified gluten free, chocolate, Chocolate Cookie, Cocoa, Cookie Mixes, cookies, Corn Starch, Giveaway, gluten free, Gluten Free Flour Blend (White Rice Flour, ice cream sandwiches, Made in the USA, Monocalcium Phosphate), Natural Vanilla., Non GMO Aluminum Free Baking Powder (Baking Soda, Part Number:00515S, potato starch, Salt, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Tapioca Flour), Vegan, Water, Xanthan Gum
Even though I love to cook and bake, there are days I want to break down and just be able to drop contents in a bowl, stir, bake and eat! My biggest guilt comes from when I grab a box and start reading or glance at the list of ingredients. The stuff has so many chemicals that they might as well include a mad scientist inside to make the stuff for me. Most of my boxed mixes expire and when I throw them out, I make a mental note to never buy________ again. I think it’s my way of telling myself I know better.
My family and I are thankfully not gluten intolerant but I am always open in trying a product that is gluten free to add a change to our routine diet. I must admit that most gluten free products I have tried, well they are like imitators but of the worse kind. Think about an Elvis impersonator and then look at the real Elvis (in his good days) and maybe the outfit looks sort of the same but definitely not the wearer. When I saw Ardenne Farm was kindly offering an all natural baking mix and it said the magic word “chocolate”, I figured I would give it a try.
The Chocolate Cookie Mix is Vegan friendly and like I mentioned Gluten Free, but the list is short when it comes to ingredients. I know what everything listed is and that is not something I see at the common market when it comes to baking aisle.
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Ingredient List: Cane Sugar, Gluten Free Flour Blend (White Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Tapioca Flour), Brown Sugar, Cocoa, Baking Soda, Non GMO Aluminum Free Baking Powder (Baking Soda, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Corn Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate), Salt, Xanthan Gum, Natural Vanilla.
The directions are also simple and it’s not like some mixes where I need to bring so much to the cookie party that I end up realizing, I just bought a box of flour with a pretty picture on the front that is only possible if I add $5 more of ingredients to make it happen. You just need one stick of unsalted butter and three tablespoons of water. That is it and everything else is included.
Ardenne Farms’ has simple instructions to follow and the only factor that differs from my everyday made from scratch mixes, is the 5 minute setting time after you take the baked product out of the oven. I usually only do 1 to 2 minutes, but this is a rich chocolate product that needs to set and I’m thinking because it’s lacking the gluten glue 🙂 Other than that, no eggs to crack and you just open one bag, mix and bake.
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Appearance:
The box yields 20 cookies and I am use to cookies being so small that when mixes state this, I know I will be lucky to get 10 cookies, but you see the cookie spreads out more than other cookies, so do stick to a tablespoon per cookie drop, versus the 2 tablespoon-ish I did. I am making ice cream sandwiches, so I needed a larger size. I now call it ice cream sandwiches for two, so even my oopsie has a fix!
Retail Price Point: $4.79 on-line via Ardenne Farm’s website for a 16 ounce box
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Taste Test:
My Husband has been negative about gluten free baked products because they are all impostors (he says). He told me it’s like craving a pizza but you eat a bagel bite and of course still crave pizza. It never fills the craving, so he of course was not too positive about me even baking this. He kept saying, “just make real cookies”. I ignored him and went on baking. I did notice the mix has no chips of chocolate but when I opened the bag, you quickly are taken over by a sweet and cocoa rich cloud. I say a cloud because I was hunting for chocolate chips and forgot you let things settle before cutting open. The smell is very pleasant. I mixed as directed, baked, and waited 5 minutes for the cookie to set. I tasted it and thinking is this just something we will be throwing out and I was truly surprised at how good the cookie tasted. It’s a simple chocolate cookie but the dark rich chocolate flavor is there and so is the softness. You can see it’s flat but it has that desired slight crisp texture on the outside, but it’s very gooey on the inside. I gave him half and he groaned and took a bite. He stated it’s not bad and took a second bite of the cookie (the thing has maybe 1/4 bite left) and then said, “for gluten free stuff….this is not bad but I call it more like pizzelles are cookies but this is softer”. In this house, it’s a win because he would just stop eating it and walk away from the treat. He finished the 1/4 bite and walked off while I finished the ice cream cookie sandwiches. I loved the taste and it’s sweeter than I make my own dark chocolate cookies, but it really is one of the better gluten free products out there. I would pick-up this product and especially for making ice cream sandwiches and not caring if it had gluten or not. The batter lends itself beautifully for this application and I don’t feel bad baking from an Ardenne Farm box, because the ingredients are “family friendly” and I know the cookies will be eaten. 🙂
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***GIVEAWAY ALERT***
Ardenne Farm is offering one of my wonderful readers a free Chocolate Cookie mix, just like the one I received above. I will be posting the giveaway within a few hours and all you need to enter is follow the company on Facebook, Twitter and leave me a comment on this posting. Almost as simple as baking these cookies!
Connect with Ardenne Farm and they have cookies, cakes, and all the sweet stuff your heart desires at:
I received the above product(s) free of charge from Ardenne Farm. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
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07 Jun 2014
by linettefm
in Food, Home, Product Samples, Product testing, Review
Tags: Almond, Almond Flour, Almond Meal, Bake, Baking, baking made easy, Banana, better for you foods, Bifidobacterium sp., Blueberries, Blueberry, blueberry bread, blueberry quick bread, breakfast, Cane Sugar, Dairy, Drinkable yogurt, drinks, Easy Baking, easy recipe, Filmjölk, Food, Frozen yogurt, fruit, Fruit Pectin, Granola, healthy eating, Healthy Eating Habits, Healthy Snacks, Honey, hormones free, Icelandic yogurt, kefir, kid's snacks, L. Acidophilus, L. Bulgaricus, L. Casei, L. casei + B. lactis 1billion, L. lactis subsp. cremoris, L. lactis subsp. lactis, L. lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis, L. rhamnosus, Leuconostoc subsp. cremoris, Live Active Cultures, Live Cultures, low sugar, low sugar breads, Maple Syrup, milk, Molasses, molasses breads, No artificial colors, No artificial flavors, no artificial sweeteners, non-fat yogurt, not treated with rBGh, one-bowl-baking, Pasteurized Skim Milk, Peach, Plain, Product testing, Protein, Protein Sources, quick breads, quickbreads, Raspberry, Recipe, Recipes, Review, s. thermophilus, Scandinavian dairy, seasonal fruits, Siggi Yogurt, Siggi's, Siggi's Review, Siggi's Yogurt, Siggi's Yogurt Review, skyr, Sprout's Market, Strained yogurt, Stubes, Summer Baking, Target, traditional Icelandic yogurt, Turbinado Sugar, Uncategorized Tags: All-Purpose Flour, Uncategorized Tags: Baking, Vanilla, Von's, whole wheat flour, whole white wheat flour, yogurt, yogurt based breads, Yogurt Drinks, yogurt tubes
I’ve been fortunate enough to get to try a whole host of yogurts, Greek style, European style, Australian style…the list goes on and on. Some have been great. Some, not so much. A few are now in my regular rotation. Siggi’s falls into that last category. You might not have heard of Siggi’s, but you really should make a point of finding yourself some.
Siggi’s is truly a different kind of yogurt. In fact, it called Icelandic Skyr, a protein-dense low sugar form of yogurt. Truthfully, they
My local Target carries the Siggi’s Yogurt Tubes in Blueberry & Strawberry
had me at “low sugar”. In the U.S.A., almost everything you can buy in the markets is salty or sweet. Overly so at that. Don’t believe me? Take a look at almost everything in the middle of the market. Sometimes I think the FDA has revamped the 4 major food groups as salt, sugar, corn and soy. So when Siggi’s skyr says it’s not too sweet, I jumped in with both feet. It’s got all the probiotics and active cultures of the best Greek-style yogurts, but the yogurt here is the star, not some syrup on the bottom or some packets of stuff in a sidecar either.
Here’s another bone to pick: the tubed yogurt marketed mostly to kids is loaded with sugar. It’s practically syrup itself . Yuck.
But not Siggi’s. The yogurt you get in the cups is almost identical to the yogurt in the tube! Nice. And while it’s not as thick as the cups, I’d assume to promote viscosity and ease of eating, it’s not some runny mess either. Finally, something you and the kids can share, and not have them hopped up on a sugar rush later! I’m in love with a tubed yogurt? I am, and I have no shame admitting it. It’s so good hubby made a tube or two a part of his morning breakfast routine.
I have tried only the blueberry tubes from Siggi’s so far, but I’m a big enough fan that I have plans to immediately go and get the other flavor as well. You can also freeze them and have a healthy frozen yogurt treat!
This is a product unlike any on the market today in the U.S., and if you’re like me a day you’re fed up with all the sugar in everything, get some Siggi’s today. You’ll wonder how you ever ate yogurt any other way before.
Connect with Siggi’s:
I received the above product(s) free of charge from Siggi’s. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
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05 Jun 2014
by linettefm
in Food, Recipe, Uncategorized
Tags: All-Purpose Flour, Almond, Almond Flour, Almond Meal, Bake, Baking, baking made easy, Banana, better for you foods, Bifidobacterium sp., Blueberries, Blueberry, blueberry bread, blueberry quick bread, breakfast, Cane Sugar, Dairy, Drinkable yogurt, drinks, Easy Baking, easy recipe, Filmjölk, Food, fruit, Fruit Pectin, Granola, healthy eating, Healthy Eating Habits, Honey, hormones free, Icelandic yogurt, kefir, L. Acidophilus, L. Bulgaricus, L. Casei, L. casei + B. lactis 1billion, L. lactis subsp. cremoris, L. lactis subsp. lactis, L. lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis, L. rhamnosus, Leuconostoc subsp. cremoris, Live Active Cultures, Live Cultures, low sugar breads, Maple Syrup, milk, Molasses, molasses breads, No artificial colors, No artificial flavors, no artificial sweeteners, non-fat yogurt, not treated with rBGh, one-bowl-baking, Pasteurized Skim Milk, Peach, Plain, Product testing, quick breads, quickbreads, Raspberry, Recipe, Recipes, Review, s. thermophilus, Scandinavian dairy, seasonal fruits, Siggi Yogurt, Siggi's, Siggi's Review, Siggi's Yogurt, Siggi's Yogurt Review, skyr, Sprout's Market, Summer Baking, Target, traditional Icelandic yogurt, Turbinado Sugar, Uncategorized Tags: Baking, Vanilla, Von's, whole wheat flour, whole white wheat flour, yogurt, yogurt based breads, Yogurt Drinks
This is a bread that uses very little sugar and delivers a wonderful texture derived from the combination of flours and the moisture from Siggi’s Filmjolk yogurt. At 0% fat with Siggi’s drinkable yogurt and the little amount of sweetener used, this is a great bread you can enjoy with less guilt! I am able to enjoy it as a breakfast bread or even a dessert bread. Goes great with seasonal fruit and you can adjust this recipe easily by using any of Siggi’s yogurts. Very versatile and best of all…..very tasty!
Let’s get started……
Ingredients:
1 cup of Whole White Wheat Flour
1 1/2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup of Almond Flour/Meal
1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon of Baking Soda
1 1/2 cups of Siggi’s Blueberry Filmjolk or any flavor you desire
You have your choice when it comes to sweeteners in this recipe and the goal is just to use 1/2 cup to get there and I used:
1/4 cup of Dark Molasses
1/4 cup of Maple Syrup & Orange Blossom Honey
1/4 Unsweetened Dried Blueberries and make sure to plump them before adding by using hot water and waiting 20 minutes for them to re-hydrate. You can get creative and warm a fruit drink (i.e. blueberry juice) to hydrate them and I have used the microwave method where I add the blueberries to a bowl, add water and then microwave to warm.
1/2 cup of fresh Blueberries
Optional- Sprinkling the top with Turbinado Sugar
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
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1/4 cup of Unsweetened Dried Blueberries
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Soak in warm water to add moisture and “plump up” the fruit
Start by re-hydrating your dried fruit and I went with blueberries but you can use whatever fruit or combination of fruits you desire.
Grab a bowl and mix your flour with a whisk.
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Add 1 teaspoon of Salt and teaspoon of Baking Soda
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Whisk to combine
Then add the Salt and Baking Soda, and whisk again.
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Siggi’s Blueberry but you can use any flavor you desire
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You need 1 1/2 cups of the Yogurt drink
Measure out your Siggi’s Filmjolk and set aside.
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You need 1/2 cup of sweeteners (liquid form) that can be derived from several sources.
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I went with a combination of 1/4 cup of Dark Molasses and then added the rest from Maple Syrup and Honey to reach the 1/2 cup quantity
Make 1/2 cup of any sweetener mix you desire.
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Rinse out the water from your blueberries
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Then add the fruit to your dry mix and incorporate
Add the re-hydrated fruit to your dry mix and fold until well mixed.
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Add the Siggi’s Yogurt
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Also the 1/2 cup of sweeteners to your mix
Then take the wet ingredients (Siggi’s Filmjolk and the liquid sweeteners) and add them to your dry ingredients.
Fold all ingredients making sure everything is well incorporated and mixed. You want to make sure there is no dry mix lurking and everything is mixed nicely and wet.
Grab a loaf pan, spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Add the mixed batter to your pan and spread evenly.
Take the 1/2 cup of fresh berries and start studding the top of the bread.
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I went with rows
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Not perfect
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Just making sure everyone gets at least 3 with every slice
Then, you can sprinkle with sugar to create a nice flaky crust (crisp top) and also sweeten the fresh fruit. I went with Turbinado sugar because I love the texture and how it makes a loaf just glisten!
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The sugar and especially Turbinado really makes a great crust.
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The larger crystals also create a crunch and helps sweeten the fruit just a touch
Bake the bread at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes. My Blueberry loaf took 47 minutes and I did not need to cover the pan with foil at anytime but if yours starts to over brown, so ahead and cover loosely (tent) with foil.
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Give it 15 to 20 minutes to set before flipping the loaf out
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I use a toothpick or cake tester to loosen any caught edges before flipping
The loaf is cooled for 20 minutes and I use a cake tester to loosen any stuck edges before flipping and allowing it to fully cool.
I start slicing always after 1 hour or more of cooling to allow everything to rest and not lose any moisture.
I served mine with more fresh Blueberries and a nice smothering of whipped topping. The whipped topping was a cinch to make, just softened cream cheese, a little powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and heavy whipping cream. You just then let the mixer do the work until it’s nice and fluffy. You want an airy topping, not very stiff peaks……just a cloud for the berries to float on when served. Enjoy!
I highly suggest using Siggi’s Filmjolk yogurt and you can get your Siggi’s fix at:
I received the above product(s) free of charge from Siggi’s. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
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30 May 2014
by linettefm
in Drinks, Food, Product testing, Recipe, Review, Uncategorized
Tags: Baking, Banana, better for you foods, Bifidobacterium sp., Blueberries, Blueberry, breakfast, Cane Sugar, Dairy, Drinkable yogurt, Filmjölk, fruit, Fruit Pectin, Granola, healthy eating, Healthy Eating Habits, hormones free, Icelandic yogurt, kefir, L. Acidophilus, L. Bulgaricus, L. Casei, L. casei + B. lactis 1billion, L. lactis subsp. cremoris, L. lactis subsp. lactis, L. lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis, L. rhamnosus, Leuconostoc subsp. cremoris, Live Active Cultures, Live Cultures, milk, No artificial colors, No artificial flavors, no artificial sweeteners, not treated with rBGh, Pasteurized Skim Milk, Peach, Plain, Raspberry, Review, s. thermophilus, Scandinavian dairy, Siggi Yogurt, Siggi's, Siggi's Review, Siggi's Yogurt, Siggi's Yogurt Review, skyr, Sprout's Market, Target, traditional Icelandic yogurt, Vanilla, Von's, yogurt, Yogurt Drinks
In my continuous effort to try every yogurt out there, I found Siggi. What is a Siggi’s yogurt? Well, I first was drawn in by their very clean and low-key look. Then I saw their motto of, ” simple ingredients and not a lot of sugar”, on the packaging. That is how I eat, cook, well practically live. Yes, I bake and often but I don’t enjoy very sugary or very salty foods. I like to taste the flavors nature provides in their simplicity. As I always do, I went over to Sprout’s market and got lost in the yogurt aisle. I even blocked some people while I reached as far as I could to get the blueberry bottle of Siggi’s Filmjolk. I was fortunate to have the company send me coupons because I wanted to feature them on my site after my husband and I shared just one cup of Siggi’s Blueberry yogurt. Yes, one cup is all it took for me to get on the “Siggi’s……oh, dear goodness I love you”, wagon! It’s not greek and it’s a texture and recipe that’s all it’s own. It’s rich but not super milky in taste, just creamy and whatever the flavor on the package shows, that is all you get with a touch of sweetness. That is all! Simple, good and now we always with a high tone say, “Seeeee-ggy”, when we reach for it. I do wonder what people think of us! 🙂
I did not get a coupon for the Filmjolk but you know when you have tried something from a company and it surpassed all your expectations? Well, Siggi’s did this so I just took the plunge and grabbed the last bottle of Filmjolk Sprout’s had in stock. I get home and I can’t wait for breakfast and sort of regret I had dinner already because a “dinfast” or “Breakinner” would have been perfect but off I go to get my beauty sleep.
The next morning, I wake-up tired and you know it went away once I knew my curiosity of what Siggi’s drinkable yogurt version was going to be like. Being that blueberries are at a reasonable price, plus I had just shopped for fruit, and I had granola in hand…….well, it was the breakfast of champions I created. Siggi makes a yogurt that leaves a zero film in your mouth or throat, but remains creamy in texture when eaten. I love it and not only did I fall in love when I took the “sniff” test, I knew right there and then to pour it over my banana, peach, blueberries, and granola breakfast……more what my husband calls my morning “scatter”. The yogurt is not bitter or sour, just think of being left with a clean palette and whatever fruit you picked as the after-taste. Refreshing and also fills you.
Ingredients as listed from the site:
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14 May 2014
by linettefm
in Food, Recipe, Review, Sweepstakes & Giveaway, Uncategorized
Tags: 2-in-1 recipe, 2-in-1 recipes, Almond Flour, Almond Meal, Available on Amazon, Baking, Berries, Cane Sugar, chocolate, Chocolate spread, Cocoa, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Powder, cookies, Dairy, desserts, Easy Baking, Egg, Enter to Win, Filbert Paste, Filbert Spread, filberts, Fior di Frutta, Food, Free Stuff, Freebie, Frozen Raspberries, Fruit Spreads, gifts, Giveaway, Giveaways, gluten free, Hazelnut, Hazelnut & Cocoa spread, Hazelnut and Chocolate spread, Hazelnut Paste, Hazelnuts, home, Italian, Italian hazelnuts, Italy, kids, Kosher, Kosher Certified, milk, Mother's Day Desserts, Mother's Day Ideas, No Gluten, Nocciolata, Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa and Milk, Non GMO, Nut, Nut Pastes, Nut Spreads, nuts, organic, Organic Certified, Pastries, Pastry, Powder Sugar, Product Samples, Product testing, Puff Pastry, Raspberries, Recipe, Recipe Tags: Food, Review, Rigoni di Asiago, samples, Skim Milk Powder, Spreads, Squirrel, Squirrel Approved, Sugars, Sunflower Lecithin, sunflower oil, Sweepstake, sweepstakes, Sweepstakes & Giveaway, Turnover, Uncategorized Tags: Amazon, Vanilla, Vanilla Extract
Starting today and until June 1’st, you can enter to win the above package, which I received from Rigoni di Asiago. The box came filled with goodies that you can taste and some that you can wear, to the hazelnut bag you can shop with! Entering is super easy too:
Please, kindly just:
- Follow Rigoni di Asiago on Facebook here- https://www.facebook.com/RigonidiAsiagoUSA
- And also here on Facebook–https://www.facebook.com/NocciolataUSA
- Then on Twitter– https://twitter.com/NocciolataUSA
- and lastly leave me a comment on any of the reviews and/or recipes I shared.
4 easy small steps and this gorgeous box could be yours……..the hazelnut shopping bag melts your heart while you munch on the Nocciolata. Good luck!
Winner will be notified via the contact connected to your account. I will then forward the address to the company, which will then send the box to your home address, minus the squirrel of course 🙂
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10 May 2014
by linettefm
in Baking, Food, Product testing, Recipe, Uncategorized
Tags: 2-in-1 recipes, Almond Flour, Almond Meal, Available on Amazon, Baking, Berries, Cane Sugar, chocolate, Chocolate spread, Cocoa, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Powder, cookies, Dairy, desserts, Easy Baking, Egg, Filbert Paste, Filbert Spread, filberts, Fior di Frutta, Food, Frozen Raspberries, Fruit Spreads, Giveaway, gluten free, Hazelnut, Hazelnut & Cocoa spread, Hazelnut and Chocolate spread, Hazelnut Paste, Hazelnuts, home, Italian, Italian hazelnuts, Italy, kids, Kosher, Kosher Certified, milk, Mother's Day Desserts, Mother's Day Ideas, No Gluten, Nocciolata, Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa and Milk, Non GMO, Nut, Nut Pastes, Nut Spreads, nuts, organic, Organic Certified, Pastries, Pastry, Powder Sugar, Product Samples, Product testing, Puff Pastry, Raspberries, Recipe, Review, Rigoni di Asiago, samples, Skim Milk Powder, Spreads, Squirrel, Squirrel Approved, Sugars, Sunflower Lecithin, sunflower oil, sweepstakes, Sweepstakes & Giveaway, Turnover, Uncategorized Tags: 2-in-1 recipe, Uncategorized Tags: Amazon, Vanilla, Vanilla Extract
I wanted to create a filling that is easy to make, does not require a plethora of ingredients and is fast……but of course delicious. With Mother’s Day upon us, many of us want to give something chocolate and fruity but the same fallback of strawberries dipped in chocolate is so yesterday! Think chocolate and raspberries snoozing in a puff pastry dough.
Let’s Begin……
- 35 grams of Nocciolata spread
- 7 grams of Almond Flour/Meal
- 20 grams of Frozen Red Raspberries
- 2 sheets of Puff Pastry (each sheet measures 5X5) and is in square shape
- 1 egg at room temperature (whisked and with a brush)
- Optional- Raw Hazelnuts
- Powder Sugar for dusting
Make your filling like in part #1 http://wp.me/p2B5Rd-SX
Cookies (yields about 12 to 14 cookies):
Take Puff Pastry out and allow it to come to temperature, but just enough to be manageable. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Get two sheets and begin spreading your filling like this-
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A dollop of 1/2 the filling to each sheet
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Spread but mind the edges
Then brush with egg wash
Begin to roll dough over from each edge, towards the inside like this-
Again, more egg wash and fold again and again…..you will be creating a heart ❤
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Keep going
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and going
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until it closes
I use the same parchment papers that come with the puff pastry to keep the roll sealed and then wrap in plastic wrap. Put roll in the freezer to stiffen up (15 to 20 minutes) so you can cut without destroying the cookie. Repeat with the other dough sheet the same process.
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Tightly wrap with parchment
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so it can keep the heart closed and you can add more egg wash to the center if needed.
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Wrap closed
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Then in Plastic Wrap and into the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes
Once the dough is stiff enough to cut without destroying the shape, you can start making cookies.
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Unroll log
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Cut into cookies, you will 6 to 7 out of each roll
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Place on parchment
Then take the Hazelnuts (optional) and chop roughly, placing one small piece in each center.
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Cut Hazelnuts
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Place a piece in the center of each cookie
Then wash with egg and place in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes to bake at 400 degrees.
Take the cookies out and allow them to rest on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a rack. This helps dehydrate and also finish off the cooking in the dough, plus give it a crisp texture.
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Allow to cool on cookie sheet
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For 10 minutes before moving on rack or dusting with Powder Sugar
Dust with Powder Sugar.
Then you can eat them semi-warm or completely cooled. Enjoy!
Get your Nocciolate fix at:
I received the above product(s) free of charge from Rigoni di Asiago. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
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