Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a cooking event, hosted by, mom blogger, extraordinaire, Cheryl Leahy from All Dressed Up and Nothing to Drink. She has the knack of exquisitely bringing together mom-favorited brands in an intimate setting, to share, inspire, and connect great products, ideas, and things moms need to know. Her most recent event headlined by, The zen of slow cooking, was impassioned and delicious. I came to the event thinking, What else can you really cook in a crock pot? Boy, did I learn a thing or two--can you say, luscious cinnamon French toast? Pleasantly surprised, I left with several great new ideas that are quick, easy, and tasty. I should have known it would be fabulous after peeking at their website header, tagline: Mindful~Nourishing~Relevant~Simple~Delicious. The packaged approach to seasoning food, coupled with the ease of popping it in, to the slow cooker, really encouraged me to give it a try. The seasoning packets come in a wide variety of flavors, so to speak, and their website it chocked full of easy-to-follow recipes to pull it all together. I'm motivated to use these spices because there are no chemicals, preservatives or other junk you can't pronounce. One of the lip-smacking recipes we sampled at the event was their perfectly flavored version of Chicken Tortilla Soup. When I made this at home, I cut back a bit of the liquid to give it a more chili feel, but the soupy-er version the recipe suggests is spot on. The flavors perfectly marry with the seasoning blend, chopped onions, black beans, diced tomatoes, and chicken. If you live in an area where Peapod delivers groceries, you can conveniently order a Zen of Slow Cooking branded meal kit directly from them, with all of the ingredients included in the bag. How simple is that? You can also order their seasonings packets and more on their website, or purchase them at Whole Foods or other local grocers. The site offers information on upcoming classes, stocking the kitchen, useful kitchen tools and crock pot reccos, and an online form to contact them to present and demo, for your group, school, or organization. What I love about these gals is their mission and purpose. Oftentimes, moms will create something special in the business world because of their love and connection to influences in their lives. This story is nothing short of fabulous and follows that same ideology. In 2012 Meg Barnhart, founder and co-creator of the zen of slow cooking, wanted to create a business that could employ individuals with learning challenges- adults like her son, Doug. When she started slow cooking in 2006 to ease her mom-guilt and get a healthy dinner on the table she never imagined the slow cooker would be a vehicle for change. With her vision in place, she began looking for a partner to help turn her dream into a reality. . Her friend Joanie called a few months later to say, “I met a young mom named Jane McKay, I think she's the person you’ve been searching for." Jane had just moved to Chicago from the UK and was developing recipes and writing for a local food artisan. When they met a few weeks later it was clear that they were meant to build Meg’s dream together. . With Jane’s food writing background starting the blog made sense. In the Fall of 2012, they launched the zen of slow cooking food blogsharing Meg’s passion for helping people find a little more Zen in the kitchen with Jane’s desire to create whole food recipes for the slow cooker. As their subscribers grew in numbers, drawn by their contemporary twist on slow cooking, Meg and Jane knew they were onto something. The gorgeous photography on the website and packaging is the result of the artistic eye of photographer, Kerri Sherman of Bloom and Focus. The night of the event she shared some wonderful iPhone photography tips and ways everyone can create fabulous photography. Contact her to photograph your next event or product launch. If you check on the back of the recipe envelope, you'll find a shopping list for the recipe, instructions, and ingredients list. Easy Peasy. What are you waiting for? Let's get cookin'.
It's always a good day when I get to meet a friend for lunch; but it's even a better day when I get to eat fresh, wholesome, and delicious food, on the go. One of my favorite "quick service" joints in Westfield's Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, Illinois is, Frontera Fresco. This concept eatery is part of the Frontera restaurants family, created by celebrity chef, Rick Bayless. Eating at his restaurants give you the feeling like you're eating authentic, hearty and vibrant Mexican gourmet food. He uses traditional recipes that taste like Mexico. I'm a huge fan of Rick; not because he was one of my favorite guests on my television show, For Her Information, but because his television show, Mexico, One Plate at a Time, was so much fun. Born in Oklahoma, Bayless is an American chef who specializes in modern interpretations of traditional Mexican cuisine. During each episode, he motivates home cooks (like me) to include the dynamic tastes and flavors of traditional Mexican cuisine, while traveling through Mexico, spotlighting the countrysides, gardens and landscapes, in addition to the culinary treasures abound. Part of the vast appeal that Frontera Fresco has, is its partnership with top-quality local suppliers and farmers, ensuring that the food is always fresh and is close to home. It makes me feel good that my food purchases are supporting my community. Ingredients are all natural, sustainably-produced meats and dairy, organic produce, artisan breads, stone-ground tortillas, and Fair Trade coffees and teas. I also appreciate the value pricing, with prices ranging from, $4-10. My midday visit, welcomed me to a bustling counter and line of three customers ahead. The energy and positive vibe was evident, as the cashier took my order, explained what an Agua Fresca was, take my payment, and hand me my order number, with a smile. She obviously enjoyed her job, as did the hard-working guys preparing the food, behind the counter. The food area was spotless and organized. Our meal arrived minutes after we began to sip on my mango lime Agua Fresca. I always feel like first impressions make all the difference. When the presentation is consistent and fresh looking, I am always ready to dig in, no questions. As expected, reputation aside, I was not disappointed. Agua Fresca is a fresh delicious lemonade-type drink, not too sweet, but hit the spot. A perfect marriage to the Chipotle Chicken and Short Rib Fresco tacos, also known as street tacos. Ordinarily, I don't think of eating radishes, but their presence really melds beautifully with the cilantra crema and wild arugula. The roasted red onions ramp up the flavor of the chipotle chicken and short rib, while the queso fresco cheese fuses the flavors together. Wrapped in a corn tortilla, this large-enough-for-lunch small dish, is perfect for lunch. I ordered two because I couldn't decide between the protein choices, but left supremely satisfied. My lunch mate ordered a makeshift side salad on overdrive with with fresh Romaine, wild arugula, radishes, poblano rajas, Cotija cheese, and a tangy avocado-lime vinaigrette. With added short rib, this salad is perfect for dinner or a hearty lunch. The picture leaps off the page with flavor; I can assure you the high-quality ingredients and flavor matches the vibrant colors portrayed here.
The seating area was clean and organized, thanks to the hard working staff that was always wiping, lining up chairs and sweeping on to spot. The overall impression of this conveniently located-in-the-mall spot was vibrant, fresh and delicious. Proof is in the pictures. When you harvest from your own garden (Rick has his own garden in the city), food tastes better. Take it from me, when you see the chef/owner chowing down on his own creations, you know it's bound to be delicious. To find out more about Rick's Farmer's Foundation Click here. Buen Provecho! This review was done independently from any influence from Frontera Fresco or Frontera Restaurant Group and did not receive any money, reimbursements, or representation. I have a bone to pick! Literally. I've discovered the wonderful world of bone broth. As we age, we lose a lot of things, including collagen. So, what is collagen? Simply, it's the long-chain amino acid and the most abundant protein in the body. It is composed of the individual amino acids Glycine, Proline, Hydroxyproline and Arginine and in nature is found exclusively in animal tissue, especially bones and connective tissue (Source: wellnessmama.com/60867/benefits-of-collagen). It's believed that, consuming collagen-rich foods help fortify the skin's structure and strengthen the pore walls, slow down the action of skin sagging and enlarged pores. The end result is a more youthful looking appearance. Of course we all react differently to food and supplements, but the tasty flavor of bone broth soup is, at very least, an easy way to get a nice 9grams of protein throughout the day. Here's how I do it: Warm up one single-serve carton or a serving from a larger carton of bone broth on the stovetop. While it's warming, I add chopped or dehydrated garlic, pepper, a shake of ginger, chopped onion or dehydrated onion, steamed broccoli and cauliflower (or your other favorite veggie), and optional chopped chicken. Serve and enjoy. It's as easy as that. Here's a link to check out the bone broth single serve cartons. You can also purchase bone broth protein powders and other tasty options. Chow for Now! Beth This past summer I had the pleasure of celebrating my birthday at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago for a girls weekend with a few of my friends. Whenever I stay at this hotel I feel like royalty. The rooms are so luscious and elegant and the lobby feels so "happening" (probably, in part, because of the chic lobby restaurant...more on that later). The staff seems to always go above and beyond for every guest. For example, I don't recall ordering a fabulous bottle of wine or goodies to greet us upon arrival, yet, there they were! I will admit that I DID order flowers to be in the room for enjoyment while we were there (a little gift to myself), so perhaps the concierge put two and two together and set up a little extra birthday surprise for me. I've had my share of Cabernet Sauvignon in my day, and I have to say, the flavor was fabulous. So rich and flavorful. After wonderful mani-pedi treatments from friendly manicurists at the spa, we took advantage of our room goodies. The spa was a bit small and they mis-scheduled our "4 at once" treatments, but the end result turned out pretty good. It was a bit pricey, too, but for a girls weekend, I'm guessing people would just pay up. But, for your planning purposes, it's good to know this going in if that's an issue for you. On our way out to dinner, we encountered this kind gentleman at the concierge desk. Regardless of his "blink" he was very helpful giving us directions to the restaurant. "At your service" seems to be the "way" all staff treat hotel guests at the Peninsula because they were literally at our beck and call at every turn. This quality service is what brings me back! To cap off my birthday celebration the four of us enjoyed the very popular,"Chocolate at the Pen", the chocolate buffet at the Peninsula lobby restaurant. The open air layout of the restaurant gives the diner a grand feeling of being a part of the heart of the hotel, where it's "happening" 24/7. The server was so kind to gift me with a Peninsula Chicago bear to take home (which sits proudly on my nightstand at home). Now on to the chocolate and sweets.. OMG! I didn't know which way to turn, the variety, color, and creativity of each morsel had me going back for more and more. Luckily, it was an all-you-can-eat style buffet. What was so impressive was the individualized service we received and how the various stations were replenished with new confections and sweets, on-going. Just small bites of so many different flavors... To cap things off, I indulged (again) on the custom hot chocolate station (offering over a dozen flavors), where the caramel hot chocolate caught my eye. The freshly made whipped cream on top put this concoction over the top. Isn't the little silver spoon darling? After a wonderful celebration, I stopped in the lobby, took a look around and in appreciation, absorbed the surroundings. If you are lucky enough to spend time at a Peninsula hotel, anywhere around the world, you can be certain that the service will be impeccable and the food fantastic. I especially enjoyed this gorgeous wall art and petite flower arrangement, as my last views upon my departure. The view from the fitness center.
One of my long-time favorite restaurants in Chicago is Wildfire. Years ago, I worked as a Secret Food Rater for Lettuce Entertain You, where I'd go weekly to one of their many restaurants (including Wildfire) to review the food, service and atmosphere for corporate. You can't teach an old dog new tricks, as the saying goes, so as expected, this former Food Rater can't help but be on the lookout every time while dining out. This past weekend was no different when I went out to dinner with the family. The meal was fabulous, as always, so for this post, I'm jumping right in to dessert. Wildfire is known to have a seasonal pie on the special menu, so whenever I arrive for dinner (or lunch), I immediately check to see what the dessert special is. Much to my delight, this most recent visit offered me the "special" option of Chocolate Cream Pie. With controlled excitement, I quickly and discretely finished my meal and asked, "Who wants dessert? I'm getting the pie!" With a couple of takers, we ushered the server to come and take our dessert order. Being that it was a busy weekend night, I was surprised at how fast the meal and dessert arrived. As I watched the pie make it's way across the room to the final resting place in front of me, I felt as though the room moved in slow motion. That familiar feeling of wanting time to stand still so that I could savor the luscious taste took hold of me. I delicately handled the chilled fork with accuracy as I slivered through the inverted "V" front of the pie, until I pierced the chocolately, gooey cookie crust below. The first bite didn't disappoint...it was flawless. The chocolate pudding-like center perfectly married to the heaping layer of freshly whipped cream that crowned the cookie-based creation. The piece was a generous helping, giving me enough to enjoy later. If you haven't been to Wildfire lately, or just haven't indulged in the Chocolate Cream Pie, I suggest you do. Anyone who knows me understands that I love to eat, but what they may not know is that, although I am a healthy living, cookbook author, sometimes I don't have time to cook. Running around carpooling kids and attending meetings will, at times, keep me out of the kitchen, unintentionally. But, hurrah! Lentil Soup is here to save the day. This soup is filled with nutrition, fiber and is so easy to prepare that I'm not even going to list the ingredients because the intention for you to personalize what goes into it. Check out the YouTube video below, from my book recipe series, and then pick your favorite add-in veggies, such as chopped cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, Brussels sprouts, etc. Just make sure you keep the onion, broth, seasoning and lentils! Give it a try and let me know what you think. Send me a FB comment or Tweet me. You're busy, I know, I am too. So, how in the world can we find the time to eat a healthy meal when we're always on the go? Simple, plan ahead. Find a time during the week when you have an extra 30-60 minutes to pre-cook and plan your eating throughout the week and you'll be surprised just how easy it is. For example, bake up a few fiber and nutrient-rich sweet potatoes in the oven and once cooled, store them in a glass container in the fridge for quick re-heating later in the week, or whip together an easy bean or lentil soup and store in mason jars for a quick and warm mid-week meal (soup blog post coming, stay tuned). Another one of my quick and easy pre-make favorites is the Power Breakfast Bars, featured in Dr. Gerard Mullin's book, The Gut Balance Revolution. This book has been invaluable to me this month as I embark on cleaning up my gut, diet and health. Check out how easy these gluten-free bars are to make and how easily they store in a glass container in the fridge for morning yums on the go all week long! Ingredients: 1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries 1/3 c. almond butter 2 eggs 2 teaspoons Stevia powder (or two packets) 1 c. rinsed and cooked quinoa 1 c. unsweetened graded/shredded coconut flakes 2/3 c. vanilla whey protein powder 1/4 c. ground flaxseeds 1 tsp. pure vanilla 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon *optional 1/4 tsp. ground cloves or cardamon (I used nutmeg when I made these) Preheat oven to 400*F. and coat an 8" x 8" baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine blueberries, almond butter, eggs and Stevia; mash gentley with the back of a fork. Add the quinoa, coconut, protein powder, flaxseeds, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves or cardamon. Mash well with a fork until a thick mixture forms. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish, pressing it into an even layer with a rubber spatula. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the top begins to brown and the edges are firm to the touch. Cool completely before cutting into 8 bars. Enjoy with your morning smoothie! Per serving per bar: 218 calories, 10 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 13 g total fat, 4 g. saturated fat, 46 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 42 mg sodium It's no secret that eating more fruits and vegetables are necessary for optimal health, so get ready to tempt your taste buds with this plate-licking Kale knock off salad. I love eating at Wildfire Restaurant in the Chicago area, but being a busy mom, sometimes I just can't carve out time to run out to eat. But when I do, I love to order the Spinach and Kale salad. TRUST me when I tell you, this salad is one of the best I've had--anywhere. I order salads when I go out, almost everywhere I go, from Paris to Peoria and this salad is always consistently terrific. Here's my at-home interpretation (with or without chicken or beef) of my restaurant favorite. Ingredients: 1 bunch of Lacinato kale 1/4 c. raw pumpkin seeds 1 T. Olive Oil Juice from 1/2 Lemon The amount of seasonings below can be adjust to taste 1/2 t. Cumin 1/4 t. Cayenne Pepper 1 t. Garlic Salt 1/4 c. Crumbled Feta or Goat Cheese 1-2 Diced Hard Boiled Egg *Optional 1/2 c. Diced Cooked Skinless Chicken Breast or other protein of your choice Remove center stem from each leaf, then roll leaves and finely chop into small pieces. Combine Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Cumin, Cayenne and Garlic Salt in a bowl and whisk, adding some purified water to thin, if desired. Pour mixture over chopped kale. Massage the greens, working the oil mixture into all of the pieces, then set aside; then spread raw pumpkin seeds on foil covered toaster oven tray or cookie sheet and lightly toast for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Optional: sprinkle a small amount of Olive Oil and Sea Salt over the seeds. Toss toasted pumpkin seeds and diced chicken and eggs into the kale mixture and season to taste with black pepper. Voila! The perfect lunch or dinner that's sure to satisfy. Bon Appetit.
I've been known to snack. I eat a healthy diet, but I really appreciate crunchy nosh now and again. Lucky for me, the folks at BARE Snacks got word of this and they sent me this tasty goodie box, below. They must also know that I don't like fake ingredients or chemicals in my treats, because these little babies are made with all real, recognizable ingredients that I can find in my own kitchen. Artificial is NOT an option when it comes to eating. I really appreciate that the crunchy apple chips and coconut chips are carefully selected, baked in an exclusive baking process for maximum taste and nutrition, the packed into high quality bags to lock in flavor and crunch. What's great about this product, aside from the powerful branding, is that the product is very high quality. I'll feel good about giving them to my sons because there's no refined sugar or GMOs and preservatives.
After snooping around their website, I found out that each bag is crafted in small batches, then seasoned. the coconut chips are made from mi-level maturity Nam Hom coconuts from Thailand and the apple chips contain over 3-4 apples per bag. A good source of fiber (about 4g per serving) and good fat, these crunchy yummies are going to be a sure-fire hit. They also have an organic option. Eat, Snack and Live Happy, Beth Every morning I whip up a fabulous green smoothie! So today, I opted for the Acai advantage add-on. Sambazon has just launched the 100 juice line. With 100 acai berries, 100 calories or less and at least 70% less sugar per bottle (5-11 grams per bottle), these awesome exotic drinks are a healthier way for me to enjoy 100% juice with a fraction of the sugar and calories of other premium juices. I really appreciate that all of these juices are Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO, vegan and made with Ecocert Fair Trade ingredients.
I love that the juices start with the sugar exempt acai berries and are sweetened with organic and Non-GMO Stevia, erythritol and low-glycemic agave (in the Acai Berry flavor). Loaded with antioxidants and healthy omegas in every bottle, I jump at the chance to chug one every day. Flavors include, Acai Berry, Strawberry + Lemon + Acai Berry or Pineapple + Coconut + Acai Berry. When I blended the Sambazon Acai Berry with my green smoothie, I thought I'd been transported into smoothie heaven! The flavor is rich and fruity, which makes this busy mom really happy. I don't take time to prepare food throughout the day, so my breakfast smoothie has to really rock and give me loads of nutrients and satisfaction. Remember to recycle your bottles Beth |
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