Cranberry, Orange and Pumpkin... Oh, my!

I won't even begin to go into detail about how much I love pumpkin stuff. Anything pumpkin, you name it, and I've probably tried it and loved it! Food, candles, lotion, soap, decorations... my name is Jenna, and yes, I'm a pumpkin addict. With that being said, one of my very favorite items is pumpkin cream cheese. I've been known to clear a shelf of this stuff and buy it in quantities of 10. 

This year, instead of buying regular bagels to have with my cream cheese, I found a new love in the bread aisle. I'm pleased to introduce you to Nature's Own Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Toasters. You can find these bad boys on the bread aisle, and they'd pair deliciously with butter, jam, cream cheese... or anything, really! I'm partial to the pumpkin cream cheese, though!

These little toasters are new and they come in cinnamon raisin flavor, too. They're perfect for breakfast or a snack, and they're also very healthy. I just love finding new yummy products!

Panini Press

I was lucky enough to get a great gift from my parents for my birthday a couple weeks ago... a panini press! They had heard me mention before that I was considering buying one. Especially during the summer when it's just too hot to turn on the stove every night, I like to make sandwiches for dinner. I made several paninis, but didn't have a press. I'd just put a skillet on top of my sandwich and press it down, but my skillet wasn't very heavy and didn't do the best job of pressing it.

I hadn't made any paninis in a little while, and I had convinced myself that I didn't need to buy a panini press because I really don't have room to store it, and I didn't think I'd use it enough to justify the purchase. But, lo and behold, my parents bought me one! However, it's not your typical panini press. It doesn't plug in at all. It's basically just a grill pan with a heavy "lid" on top. The thing I really like about this is that it stores easily with my other pots and pans, it's so simple to clean, and it can be used as a grill pan, as well as a panini press. 

Here is the one I have, and I love it! I broke it in by making my Greek paninis, and I'm sure I'll be making my brie, apple, and caramelized onion sandwich, too! Now I just need to come up with some more sandwich options, and maybe grill some veggies, too!

Country Caviar

Those of you who aren't familiar with Southern traditions might find this post totally boring. I'm sorry. But I'm even more sorry that you've been missing out of one of life's greatest pleasures... boiled peanuts, a.k.a. country caviar!

When I was young, I remember taking road trips to the mountains (usually north Georgia or North Carolina) with my family, and it was always a treat to stop at one of the roadside stands that sold hot boiled peanuts! They are just the most delicious snack ever! They're salty and soft, with just the perfect flavor! 

Via

Most grocery stores actually sell boiled peanuts in a can. They can usually be sound on the snack aisle. While these will do in a pinch, they're still not quite the same as homemade. To my excitement, I discovered that the produce section of my grocery store carries refrigerated bags of boiled peanuts that are the next best thing to buying them at a roadside stand. All I have to do in pop them in the microwave for a minute or so, and they're warm and ready to enjoy!

Via

I think each grocery store tends to carry a different brand, but if you can find the refrigerated kind in your produce section, I highly encourage you to try them. My store carries Hardy Farms brand, which can also be purchased online here. If you can't find them in the product section, at least pick up a can of them from the snack aisle!

America's #1 Kettlecorn

I wouldn't consider myself a big popcorn eater, much less a kettlecorn eater. I like both, but it's just not something I typically buy... until now. The other night I was browsing the snack aisle at the grocery store and noticed this new product I hadn't seen before. It had a sale sign on it, and since there were only 2 bags left (I had to reach all the way to the back of the shelf), I figured it must not be that bad! (And yes, I am one of those people who judges how good something must be based on how few are left on the shelf. Hey, it always seems accurate!)

Via

I present to you... America's #1 Kettlecorn from Popcorn, Indiana. Apparently, Popcorn, Indiana is the brand and an actual place. Who knew?! The best part about this stuff, besides the amazing taste, is that it's all natural and gluten free. 

At my grocery store, they also carried a white cheddar variety, but they were all out of it. That flavor must really be good!! But when I checked out the Popcorn Indiana website, I noticed that they have tons of other flavors!! There's a store locator on their website, so you can pop in (pun intended) your zip code and find out where the products are sold. I highly recommend this stuff. It's a great snack by itself, and I'm sure it would make the perfect side for a sandwich at lunch time. Buy it now, thank me later!

Real Simple Pad Thai

I'm usually not a big Pad Thai eater. I do like it, but I feel like no two restaurants are consistent with it. Some of the sauces taste too sweet for my liking. And I always order it without eggs since I'm not such an egg fan, but then sometimes you're left with nothing but noodles! I found this recipe in Redbook magazine and just had to try it! Best of all, it didn't even call for eggs, but feel free to add them if you'd like. I did tweak the recipe a bit, and even though it doesn't taste that much like a Pad Thai to me, I still thought it was delicious and will definitely be making it again!

1 lb dried linguine

1/2 C peanut butter (I used the chunky kind, but use whatever you have)
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs lime juice

1 Tbs fresh ginger, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

a pinch of sugar

1/2 C water

1-2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into long strips (I just used my peeler to make the long, thin strips)

1/4 C thinly sliced red onion

1 C sugar snap peas

1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, you'll make the sauce. 

Using a blender or food processor, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, garlic, sugar and water until smooth.

Next, heat your olive oil in a large pan, and then sautee your veggies... the carrots, onion and snap peas.

Drain the pasta, then toss with the veggies and sauce. Top with fresh cilantro.

I think this sauce and veggie mixture would be just as tasty served over rice instead of noodles! You'll love it!

  

Kellogg's Breakfast To Go

I don't know how time has gotten away from me lately, but it's been tough keeping up with things! I haven't been posting as much lately, but I'm trying to get back on track.

Anyway, in my haste in getting ready for work in the mornings, I often don't allow time to eat breakfast at home. Yes, I could, and I often plan to get up earlier and cook a nice breakfast, but then when that alarm clock goes off, I decide that I'd rather have a little more sleep over food. Enter Kellogg's Breakfast To Go.

Via

I'd read about these in a magazine or something. I can't remember where exactly I had seen them, but it was somewhere. And then while I was in the grocery store the other day, I spotted them, and it triggered my memory of wanting to try them! They come in chocolate or vanilla flavor. I bought the chocolate. 

I was really excited that these shakes have 10g of protein and 5g of fiber per bottle! They also have lots of other vitamins and minerals. But on top of being nutritious and convenient, they also taste great!! I honestly thought that the chocolate tasted just like chocolate milk. No weird artificial flavors or after tastes. It's really yummy!! I paid around $4.99 for a pack of 4, and I will say that they are also pretty filling. The first day, that's all I had for breakfast, and I was satisfied. The second day I decided I should try to get a little more protein first thing in the morning, so I also ate a Kind bar with added protein (almond, walnut, macadamia... also delish!!). 

Via

Ok, as I was writing this post, I just discovered that they also make a strawberry flavor! I didn't see those at my grocery store, but I'll check Wal-Mart or someplace like that. I bet it would be equally tasty!

Real Simple Lunch: Cottage Cheese Mix-Up

I'll admit that this recipe isn't really a "recipe." You basically just cut up some tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, and mix it with some cottage cheese, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. How simple is that?

Now, don't tune me out yet. I know, I know... cottage cheese isn't considered the most glamorous of foods. I'm not sure why a lot of people don't like it, but I think it's so versatile. You can use it in place of ricotta cheese when making lasagna, it's great as a side dish, or you can add fruits and/or veggies to it and eat it like a salad.

I was a little hesitant about adding tomatoes, cukes, and avocado to it, but let me tell you... it was delicious!! I ate this one day before I went to the pool because I just wanted a light lunch, and let's face it... no one wants to feel bloated when you're about to put on your swim suit! It really kept me full without feeling like a had a brick in my stomach. It was super flavorful, too! 

Add as little or as much of the veggies as you like. I added a handful of grape tomatoes, half an avocado, and about a 3" piece of cucumber, chopped. It's the perfect fix for this hot weather!

Frozen Bananas

I've never been much on rides. Even though I've lived in Florida my entire life, I've only been to Disney World a couple times (and not since I was a small child), and if you try to get me to go on a roller coaster, you might as well just count on that being a big fat NO! I don't know why, but I've just never enjoyed being thrown upside down at high speeds and feeling like I'm going to die.

Anyway, the reason I mention all of that will make sense, because my favorite part of going to the fair was never the rides or games. It was always the chocolate covered frozen bananas. There is nothing better on a hot day! 

Via

Imagine my excitement when I discovered that you can now buy these at the grocery store!!! I started out by getting the Banana Babies from Diana's Banana's brand, which I must say are quite delicious. You can buy them in dark chocolate or milk chocolate. My favorite is the dark chocolate. They even have some with nuts, but unfortunately, those only come in the milk chocolate variety.

Via

Now Dole has chocolate covered banana slices!! These Banana Dippers are perfect for when you might not want a whole banana, but just a small snack to satisfy that sweet tooth. I've only tried the plain chocolate ones so far, but they also make some with almonds that sound amazing! I highly recommend running, not walking, to the grocery store and buying yourself a package of frozen bananas this summer. They really are the perfect healthy dessert. You can thank me later.

The Ninja Blender

I've had my Ninja blender for several years now, and it has never failed me. I use this blender to make smoothies, soups, sauces, salsa... you name it. It really serves as both a blender and a food processor for me. 

So when I found out that my brother was in the market for a blender, I knew just what to get him for his birthday! Now before you start wondering what's so great about this blender, let me first say that my previous blender finally got pitched (ok, actually thrown in disgust) in the garbage can when I was trying to make a sauce one night, and the thing started smoking and almost caught on fire! The blades just weren't sharp enough. It couldn't even cut through ice to make a decent smoothie.

This Ninja QB900B Master Prep Revolutionary Food and Drink Maker, Gray is quite the little workhorse. It will blend anything. It's easy to clean, and I love the fact that it comes with two sizes of the base in case you just want to make a small portion of something. 

Ninja makes a complete system that comes with all sorts of gadgets, but honestly, for around $40, this is all you'd need! It's a must-have kitchen item in my book!

Crunchy Black Bean Tacos

Just in case you didn't get your fill of food from 4th of July, or maybe something besides dinner on the grill sounds tasty, I have a great recipe for some delicious tacos! 

I used to always buy taco shells from the grocery store... the kind that you just bake for a few minutes and are typically broken into a million pieces when you open them. Yes, those. I'm not sure why it took me so long to try making my own tacos, but I was definitely missing out! These tacos are simple and yummy, plus you could use any filling you like. Here's my black bean version. It makes 4 tacos, but you'll likely want to double the recipe!

1 C black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 C red onion, diced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika (you could also use regular paprika or skip it altogether)
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs cilantro, chopped
1/4 C pepper jack cheese, grated
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 small corn tortillas
avocado, sour cream, hot sauce (optional, for garnish)

In a bowl, combine beans, onion, spices and cilantro. This will be your filling for the tacos.

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium and when the oil is hot, add a tortilla to the pan. As it begins to cook, spoon 1/4 of the beach mixture onto half of the tortilla. Top with 1/4 of your cheese. Then, using a spatula, carefully fold the other half of the tortilla over to the bean mixture half to form a tortilla. Press down.

Once the taco begins to get crispy and brown (after a couple of minutes), flip it over to cook the other side. 

After you've folded your first taco, you can add another tortilla to the pan and begin making additional tacos. Make as many as you're able to fit in the pan at once. 

Serve with avocado, sour cream, hot sauce or more cilantro. You'll be surprised how fancy these seem and how great they taste! No more boxed taco shells!

 

Real Simple Sauteed Mushrooms

Let me start by saying that I love mushrooms!! But even people who don't love them have been known to love these! I've been making these mushrooms for a long time, and they never disappoint! You can use portabellas, baby portabellas or just regular white button mushrooms. I've used them all, and they're all delicious!

8 oz. package of fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

3 Tbs. butter

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2-3 cloves of fresh minced garlic

3 Tbs. ranch salad dressing

a few dashes of teriyaki sauce

This recipe is so simple! Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add butter and olive oil. When it is has melted, add garlic to the pan and sautee for about a minute. Don't let it burn! Once the garlic is soft, add the ranch dressing and stir to combine with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Next, add a few dashes of teriyaki sauce and store to combine well. The sauce will be a brown-ish gravy color. Add your sliced mushrooms and cook until soft (about 7 minutes or so). You can even turn these down to low and let them cook slowly if you have other sides to prepare.

Last time I made these mushrooms, I served them with some lemon pepper roasted zucchini, butternut squash ravioli and a caprese salad. It doesn't get any better than that!

Greek Pizza

Ok, this is no secret, but I love Greek food! Greek salads are my favorite, I go crazy for spanikopita, and there's nothing better than a pita stuffed with falafel and all the fixin's, like this one I made recently! So, naturally, I make Greek pizzas, too!

1 store bought half-baked pizza crust (I like the thin ones)
extra virgin olive oil
pizza sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
feta cheese
sundried tomatoes (the julienne kind or slice them yourself)
bell pepper, sliced (any color)
Greek olives, sliced
onion, sliced
dried oregano (optional)

Brush your pizza crust with a little olive oil. Next, spread your pizza sauce on the crust, then add your mozzarella cheese and feta cheese. Notice I don't have measurements for anything. That's because you can add as much or as little as you like! It's your pizza! I don't use very much mozzarella, because I like to have more of the feta on there. After your cheeses, top the pizza with veggies. Be sure your peppers and onions are sliced thin and small so they cook fast enough in the oven. Garnish with some dried oregano, and then bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Oven temperature and time may vary depending on what kind of crust you buy. 

Goat Cheese Sandwich

A couple weeks ago, I was out running errands one Saturday and I wanted to grab a quick bite to eat. I've great great things about this local bakery called John Dough. Actually, I had bought their homemade bread before, but it was a while ago, and I don't think they had a cafe back then. So, I'd been wanting to try their sandwiches!

When I got there and saw that they had a goat cheese sandwich on the menu, I was sold! It was one of the most delicious sandwiches I had ever eaten!! But to be fair, let's face it. Goat cheese between to pieces of wood would taste good! Anyway, after I ate it, I started thinking about how easy it would be to re-create it at home, so that's what I did!

2 slices of thick, balery-style bread (I used multi-grain, but the bakery used ciabatta. Use whatever you like!)
goat cheese
tomato
roasted red peppers, sliced
onions, sliced (I like Florida sweet onions or red)
fresh basil

Now you just have to assemble the sandwich, which is simple! Spread some goat cheese, as little or as much as you like, on each slice of the bread. One one slice, pile sliced tomato on top, then sliced roasted red peppers, onions and fresh basil. Place the other piece of bread on top, goat cheese side down. Then cut in half and enjoy! So easy and so tasty!

Sundried Tomato, Avocado and Cheese Quesadillas

I love a quesadilla as much as the next person, but sometimes I get tired of the traditional Mexican fare, and I want something a little different. If you've ever had the avocado eggrolls from The Cheesecake Factory, you know how delicious they are! Well, for whatever reason, these quesadillas really reminded me of them! Maybe it was because of the sundried tomato and avocado combo. Here is how to make these quesadillas.

2 tortillas (I used small whole wheat, but use whatever you like)

1 avocado

sundried tomatoes (buy the julienne kind or chop them yourself)

2 oz. of white cheddar, or mozzarella cut into small cubes

salt and pepper

Start by smashing your avocado, like you would if you were making guacamole. Spread the avocado across one of the tortillas. Then top with sundried tomatoes, cheese, and salt and pepper. Place the other tortilla on top.

Heat your stove to medium. Spray a nonstick skillet or use a little olive oil in the pan to crisp up the tortillas. Place your quesadilla in the skillet and press down on it with a spatula for a couple minutes, until it's ready to flip. Cook each side for a couple minutes. Make sure the cheese has melted! And then slice it into triangles and serve! 

I've made this a couple times so far, and the second time I made it, I had some fresh cilantro on hand, so I added that! It was delicious! If you have cilantro, by all means add it!!

Almond Joy

If you don't like nuts, particularly almonds, then this post is not for you. Sorry! 

I love snacking on almonds. They're healthy and delicious, and these days there are just tons and tons of flavors out there! About a year or so ago, I discovered salt & vinegar flavored almonds, and I was instantly hooked! I ate them almost every day for quite a while! 

But just recently, I noticed that the grocery store now carries several more new flavors! I grabbed the toasted coconut, and it's been a match made in food heaven ever since! One reason I might be a little partial to these almonds is that they remind me of the taste of honey roasted macadamia nuts! And if you're not familiar with those, then does the Almond Joy candy bar ring a bell? Just imagine that candy bar without the chocolate. Ok, maybe that doesn't sound so great anymore, but I promise... these almonds are delicious!!

Go grab yourself a can! Happy snacking!

Peanut Noodles

I used to buy pre-made peanut noodles each time I'd make a trip to Trader Joe's. I loved taking them for lunches, but they were pretty pricey, and I figured they would be so simple to make and for a fraction of the price. I was right! These peanut noodles are sure to satisfy! I ate them hot right after I made them, and then I put the leftovers in the refrigerator and ate them cold for the next couple of days for lunch.

8 oz. spaghetti

1 bunch of scallions

2 Tbs. sesame oil 

1 tsp. fresh minced ginger

1/3 C peanut butter (I used chunky because I like bits of peanuts in it, but use whatever you have!)

1/4 C low sodium soy sauce

1/4 C hot water

1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Cook pasta. While pasta boils, sautee scallions in oil. Add ginger and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in peanut butter, soy sauce, hot water, vinegar, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes. Combine well and then remove from heat.

After you've drained your pasta, toss it with your peanut sauce and serve, or chill and eat it cold if you like it that way.

Wasn't that simple?!

Subscription Boxes

Everywhere I turn these days, a new beauty box, food box, coffee box, or something similar pops up! Whoever developed the concept of these sampling services is a genius in my opinion! The first one I ever heard of was Birchbox, which seems to get great reviews and appears to be one of the least expensive at $10/month or $110 for a year's subscription. Birchbox contains luxury beauty samples that are delivered to your door, and they also have a rewards program. You can write reviews on the samples you receive, and that earns you points that you can use to buy the full sized products. Pretty neat concept! Some of Birchbox's competitors are Ipsy and Glossybox. 

Via

I've recently seen more and more of these sample boxes being offered. As someone who's quite the beauty junkie, these boxes really pique my interest. I've never tried any of them, but have been toying with the idea of giving Birchbox a go. I'm curious about how big the samples are. Are they only enough for a couple of uses? And how many different items do you receive? Do you feel like you get your money's worth? 

As a foodie, I'm also intrigued by several of the healthy food boxes I've seen. There are so many, though, I don't even know where to start! I think these seem like such a fun and simple way to try new things without spending a lot of money. I'd love to hear about any experiences anyone has had with these boxes. Love 'em or leave 'em?

Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips

For all of you kale skeptics out there, please just hear me out. I was once on your team, but I've since switched over. And if these roasted salt & vinegar kale chips won't do it, then nothing will! You won't even know you're eating kale, and just think of all the health benefits you'll be getting! For this yummy snack, you'll need:

1 bunch of fresh kale

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste (I use sea salt)

fresh ground pepper to taste

Wash your kale well and tear the leaves away from the stem. Discard stems. (Just a tip: I don't care for the pre-washed and pre-cut variety. They don't remove the stems!!) Pat your kale dry. Place in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well. Next, spread the kale out on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Roast for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees. After about 10 minutes, I turned my oven down to 375 degrees. Just keep an eye on it and don't let it burn. You want it to be crispy, though, and because of the balsamic vinegar, it will take on a black color.

After you remove the kale from the oven, sprinkle with more salt if desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the fridge. The leftovers are just as good cold (or you can pop them in the microwave), although they won't be as crispy. I think these are a little more interesting that plain roasted kale chips since they have the flavor from the vinegar. However, if you're more of a plain snack person, feel free to leave it out. Plain kale chips are tasty with salsa or hummus.

For my next kale chips adventure, I plan to make a sesame oil and chili pepper variety! 

Pesto Pasta Salad

In one of last week's posts, I mentioned that I had a Pioneer Woman recipe to share. I couldn't decide if this was a pasta salad or a regular salad, but whatever you want to consider it, it's delicious! It was so simple, too! I whipped it up one night for dinner, and then took it for lunch for the next couple of days. 

This salad has lots of good stuff in it: pasta, tomatoes, olives, mozzarella cheese, pesto, a homemade dressing, and lettuce. Yes, lettuce. That's what makes it so different and tasty! 

For the full recipe and step-by-step pictures from the Pioneer Woman herself, just click here. You can certainly keep this meatless, or add some chicken for a more filling dinner. It's the perfect summer meal staple, and I can guarantee that you'll love it! 

Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips

Imagine my excitement when I came home from a long day at work and found a box of free snacks at my door! As a BzzAgent, I get the opportunity to receive all kinds of great, free things! I was especially thrilled to try this product because it was something I could eat, and it's a healthy snack!

Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips are a delicious, smart-snack. The sweet potato chips really remind me of Sun Chips, but they're healthier and lower in sodium! They have a great multigrain flavor that doesn't taste artificial at all. These snacks also come in a roasted veggie zesty cheddar variety, and they're basically the guilt-free version of Doritos! How awesome is that?!

I don't blog about a product unless I truly love it, and this is definitely a snack that I'll be buying on my own! Visit the Green Giant Facebook page to get a coupon for these snacks. Who knew that Green Giant could make such a great snack? They're not just veggies anymore!