Chocolate Paradise in Venezuela
As a certified chocoholic I'd always had visions of what staying on a Venezuelan cocoa plantation might be like. A Bridget Jones style indulgence, perhaps, of fresh-from-the-pod chocolate and South American sunshine. I pictured waking to a frothy cup of cocoa, photographing lush fields of flowering pods, and chomping through bullion sized bars of chocolate.
Green Anarchy
"The cocoa plantation has been described as 'green anarchy,'" explains Billy Esser, the plantation owner, who has just cracked open a fresh pod, and scooped out the beans for me to taste. "The trees grow where they want to grow, and the pickers remember where each tree is when it's time to harvest." In terms of cocoa production, Venezuela can lay claim to some impressive heritage. The country has grown, harvested, and eaten chocolate since the Aztecs, farming cacao Criollo — the world's purest strain of cocoa. And if Venezuela is Paradise, then the cocoa plantation where I'm happily ensconced must be where chocoholics go to die.Dive deeper into this chocolate lovers vacation.»
Read More»Healthy Lunch Snack Ideas
- Celery and Peanut butter – Wash and Cut celery into snack size pieces. Spread peanut butter inside the celery. For added sweetness, add raisins on top to make “ants on a log” (great for kids!).
- Banana and Almond Butter Wrap – Take a whole wheat tortilla wrap and spread peanut butter on it; then, place a peeled banana in the center and wrap the tortilla around it.
- Granola and Yogurt- Use an individually packaged yogurt or put yogurt in your own container. Bring granola separate in a plastic bag and add it to your yogurt when you’re ready to eat it. For added omega-3, add a tablespoon of chia seeds – they’re like flax seeds, but even better for you!
- Veggies and Hummus- Cut up your favorite veggies and dip them in hummus.
- Fruit – Fruit just by itself is a great snack – cut it up into manageable pieces and you’ll be more inclined to indulge.
- Tomato and Basil – even without the boccaccini cheese, tomato and basil together have great flavor! Add a sprinkle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.
- Apples and peanut butter – An all time favorite- try to use the unsweetened peanut butter as the apple adds enough sugar to the mix.
- Cottage cheese on rye crisps – this is an easy snack now that you can get cottage cheese in those individual to go cups. Add chopped tomato on top for flavor.
You Don’t Like the Meal You Ordered- Now What?
I recently visited Vinnie’s Pasta Bar in Halifax, NS with the girls. I’ve been to Vinnie’s many times and I always order the same thing: Fettuccini Alfredo. This particular time, I was convinced to go out on a limb and try a new dish, so after reading the menu (and assuming that the Italian terms meant ‘olive oil sauce with spaghetti-like noodles’), I agreed!
Shortly after ordering, our fresh pastas were delivered to the table, and I stared at my bow tie noodles in red sauce with sadness. It was nothing that I expected it to be- but this was what I had ordered- so I was prepared to suffer through it.
One of my friends at the table saw my disappointment and, even though I told her not to say anything, she informed the waitress of my wrong assumptions. To my surprise, the waitress didn’t mind at all that I wanted my usual! I’m not sure if most restaurants would tell me to “stuff it” or if this is a common practice in the restaurant industry, but off she went to bring me my usual with no fuss. I left the restaurant feeling full, satisfied, and ready to return!
Customer service is a huge factor in running any business, and the “customer is always right’ concept is really being pushed. The waitress knew she took my order correctly and she still didn’t mind brining me my usual. Don’t be too shy to speak up if you don’t like what you ordered. Yes, the restaurant will lose out on the cost of one meal, but they want you to enjoy your food, and above all, they want you to come back!
Read More»10 Most Popular Chocolate Bars
A Chocolatey Good Obsession
Chocolate is loved by many all over the world, and there are many different variations of the sweet treat. Some prefer milk chocolate, some dark, and over time it has been paired with treats such as caramels, nuts, nougat, and more. Chocolate bars, or candy bars, have become increasingly popular as conveniently wrapped quick snacks on the go. There are so many different kinds of chocolate bars available, but several remain the top favorites.
Hershey's Bars - A Hershey's bar is simple, yet satisfying. It's little more than a bar of creamy milk chocolate, but loved by many for that very reason. It's also often used to make the ever-popular S'mores, a dessert treat made by stacking graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows, melted over a fire or heat. Hershey's bars are a traditional old-fashioned favorite, first introduced in 1894 and sent to troops overseas during World War I, and has been adapted into other varieties such as Hershey's with Almonds or the Hershey’s Special Dark. The ever-popular bite-sized Hershey’s Kiss is also a variation.
Kit-Kat - Kit-Kats are chocolate-coated wafers with a pleasant crisp and the ability to break the bar into four separate pieces, from which the candy bar's slogan "gimme a break/break me off a piece of that Kit-Kat Bar" is derived. They're also a simple candy bar, but loved by many.
Milky Way - Milky Ways, called "Mar's Bars" in countries other than the U.S., were first created by a father-son duo who wanted to turn a chocolate malted drink into a candy bar. The result was a bar with malted nougat and caramel covered with milk chocolate. A dark chocolate version is also sold, known as Milky Way Midnight.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - In 1923, a former employee of Hershey’s decided to experiment by mixing chocolate and peanut butter. The result was the very delicious peanut butter cup. It's a perfect combination that many enjoy, whether they eat it by nibbling around the scalloped cup's edges, then finishing the middle, or by eating the chocolate first and the peanut butter last. As the slogan says, "there's no wrong way to eat a Reese's."
Butterfinger - Another tasty chocolate-y peanut butter treat is the Butterfinger, which can only be described as a crispy, peanut-buttery concoction covered by milk chocolate. It's a delightfully crunchy treat, once associated with its cartoon spokesperson Bart Simpson.
Three Musketeers - The Three Musketeers bar was first marketed as three candy bars in one package, flavored chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. It shortly became just chocolate nougat covered in milk chocolate. It's light, fluffy, and marketed as being a lower-fat candy bar option, boasting the slogan, "big on chocolate, not on fat!"
Oh Henry! - The Oh Henry! is a delicious blend of fudge, caramel, peanuts, and chocolate. It's the perfect way to compact a rich dessert-like treat into a candy bar. Oh Henry! was named for the inventing company’s employee, Henry, who used to flirt with the female employees.
M&M's - M&M's are more of a bite-size candy than a chocolate bar, but they are such a favorite that many simply associate them as such. M&M's, whose slogan is "melts in your mouth, not in your hand" are a small bite of chocolate covered in a bright candy shell. They were popular among World War II's shoulders, who found the package and shelled candy to be convenient as well as tasty. They are also sold in peanut, almond, and dark chocolate varieties.
Baby Ruth - The Baby Ruth is similar to an Oh Henry! in that is it comprised of a fudge-y chocolate, peanuts, caramel, and nougat. The peanuts, however, are chocolate-covered. This candy bar was originally marketed as a Kandy Kake, and its current name is thought to be a way to market from the famous Babe Ruth without actually paying for his name.
Snickers - The Snickers Bar is popular for many reasons. For one, its ingredients are the ever-popular chocolate, nougat, caramel, and peanuts. It's thick, gooey, chewy, and extremely satisfying as a snack. The peanuts load it with protein, and it's often marketed as a smart choice if one is hungry and in need of a decent snack, with the slogan, "Hungry? Why Wait?" Read More»
How To Hide Veggies In Your Kid’s Meals
Make Your Kid's Healthier
What parent wouldn't want to be blessed with children who love vegetables? Life would be so much easier if kids adored carrots, onions and broccoli as much as they like chocolate and PSPs. Unfortunately, most children shy away from the foods that are best for them, and that's when a parent needs to know how to hide these vitamin-laced nutritional foods in their kids everyday meals.
Perhaps the most difficult foods to hide from kids are the green ones, which are often the most nutritious. One trick is to cut them up exceptionally tiny so that they aren't so green. Mincing up broccoli and adding it to rice can almost camouflage it completely.
And what child doesn't like spaghetti? Here lies the perfect hiding place for any and all veggies you want your kids to eat. The color can camouflage even the most frightening vegetables like cauliflower. Simply cook the vegetable and pop it in the blender, then add to the sauce. Perfect!
In fact, the blender holds the key for hiding most every vegetable from your children. Do they love mashed potatoes? Blend cauliflower and chick peas and you have an instant healthy addition to the meal.
Another great way to get your kids the nutrition they need is using pancakes and waffles to house spinach and carrot juice. This tasty alternative to regular cakes can also carry bananas, shredded sweet potatoes and zucchini.
Meat loaf becomes the perfect vehicle for carrying hidden agendas such as broccoli, carrots and spinach. Chili can conceal white beans and other unappealing veggies, cloaked also in cheese and filled with mushrooms and zucchini.
Breads also hold appeal for kids, especially quick breads like zucchini and bananas which can also add to the moisture of the muffin. Pumpkin bread is naturally sweet and kids eat it up.
Since kids love cheese, why not make it au gratin? Smother a plate of steamed veggies in melted cheese, and add those to mac and cheese. This is a great way to sneak them into an old favorite.
Even though kids can be picky eaters, putting veggies on top of a pizza can really hit the spot. You can puree the veggies or make a stuffed crust so they won't even see them.
There is a school of thought that believes that hiding veggies in your children's food is too sneaky for their own good. Common advice is that you should show them how to enjoy and eat these fresh necessities instead of trying to con them into eating something they aren't even aware of. Give them a variety of foods and let them pick for themselves what they like. Serve the "hidden" foods like because you like them and want your kids to enjoy a variety of nourishing meals.
Research tells us that kids might have to be exposed to some foods several times before they develop a taste for them. Help them develop healthy eating habits now! Read More»
Dinner for Four Under $20.
Feeding a family of four with less than $20 is not impossible and for most these days it's a necessity.
Here are some ideas to help stretch every dollar when cooking dinner at home.
Focus on purchasing generic store brands to cut grocery costs. These brands have virtually the same tastes and ingredients and can be a little as half the cost of generic brands.
Another tip, stock up on meats during sales and freeze until you need them, as frozen meat can last for months.
Butternut Squash Ravioli
This recipe can be made for about $10 and is sure to impress even discerning palates.
What you'll need:
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (this often pricey item is a perfect candidate for a store brand purchase)
• 1 butternut squash, cubed
• 1 finely chopped onion
• Fresh sage leaves – about 10
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 package store brand frozen cheese ravioli
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1 can or cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Mix together in a medium bowl olive oil, cubed squash, chopped onion and a couple of the sage until everything is equally coated in oil. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
• Roast for 20 to 25 minutes in medium roasting pan, only turning once. Squash should be tender.
• Boil ravioli following package directions exactly; drain with a colander and reserve.
• Over medium heat, sauté butter in a skillet; add sage leaves and fry for a couple of minutes until leaves are crisp. Remove leaves and set aside. Drain skillet but do not wipe.
• Adjust stove heat to low and add vegetable broth; heat broth to a simmer.
• Add reserved pasta and squash mix, and toss everything together with fried sage and parmesan cheese.
• Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Quick and Easy King Ranch Chicken
This recipe is a cheaper, simpler variation on the traditional southern favorite, King Ranch Chicken Casserole, and is great for a quick comfort food fix. Buy the boneless skinless chicken breasts in bulk and freeze anything you don't need for extra savings.
What you'll need:
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 3 to 4 flour tortillas
• 16 oz jar of hot or medium salsa (store brand or canned)
• 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 10 oz can cream of chicken soup
• 1 bag Mexican blend shredded cheese
Instructions:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Pan fry chicken breasts in olive oil with preferred amounts of salt and pepper. Tear into small pieces. Set aside.
• In large bowl, mix together both cans of condensed soup and salsa. Reserve.
• Shred flour tortillas. Completely cover the bottom of a medium sized casserole dish with shredded tortillas.
• Cover tortillas with a layer of half the salsa and soup mixture.
• The next layer should consist of the reserved shredded chicken.
• Add another layer of the remaining salsa and soup mix.
• Sprinkle Mexican blend cheese over the top.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Read More»