Easter Gift Guide - Royal Hawaiian Orchards Dark Chocolate Macadamias

Easter is the time of year when chocolate bunnies are everywhere, tempting adults with their creamy deliciousness. I love chocolate, but this year I'm skipping the bunnies and trying something that's more suitable to an adult pallet. Macadamias are one of Hawaii's greatest treasures, and the Royal Hawaiian Orchards have been growing them for over forty years. They have a large variety of tasty macadamia delights, the newest of which are their dark chocolate variety.

The new dark chocolate macadamias are simply mouth-watering.  Every one is a perfect macadamia drenched in a layer of dark chocolate and infused with fruit juice to give them an even more exotic flavor. Choose from Blackberry Goji, Blueberry Acai, and Pomegranate Mango. Each one is like bringing a little taste of the tropics home with you. For adults,  you can't ask for a better way to fill your Easter basket. Best of all, they are GMO and gluten free, making them a healthier alternative to all that Easter junk food.

The dark chocolate macadamias are only one delicious option. To see all Royal Hawaiian Orchards has to offer, be sure to visit their website or follow them via social media. You can find their products in stores nationwide including ShopRite.

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Summer Camp Snack Ideas from Spork Foods

School is almost out for summer and kids will be heading off to camp soon! Typically you might worry that your they won’t make healthy choices while they’re away from home, but this year, you can send them off with healthy snack options to keep their nutrition in check. Heather Goldberg and Jenny Engel of Spork Foods have put together their top 5 list of kid-friendly summer camp snacks. See their superstar snack recommendations below.

Kid’s Summer Camp Snack Ideas- by Heather and Jenny- Sisters and Owners of Spork Foods

1)    Pistachio Chewy Bites - This completely nutritious snack is made of protein packed pistachios, delicious dried cranberries, and agave nectar. This unique flavor combination is the perfect snack for kids any time of day. The convenient, individually wrapped bites are easy to toss into your child’s snack stash and send them off! Steal one for yourself and eat it on the way to work while you’re at it!

2)    Fruit Leathers - Fruit leathers have come a long way since we were kids. They’re packed with vitamins and minerals, yet disguised in a fun-to-eat snack! Stretch Island Fruit is our favorite! The grab-and-go aspect is always great too, just in case your little one gets hungry on the bus. We guarantee this snack won’t be traded come the lunch hour!

3)    Popcorn- Corn has more nutrition in it than one might think! It’s actually incredibly high in antioxidants and is fun to eat, a win-win for parents and kids. Earth Balance makes a new, non-dairy aged white cheddar popcorn that’s non-GMO and very tasty. There is a reason corn has been a food staple for thousands of years…it’s healthy and delicious!

4)    A Good Old Fashion Banana- Let’s face it, this fruit is the original to-go snack. A banana’s thick skin acts as natural tupperware, it’s loaded with low glycemic carbs, and will give your kids the energy they need to run around all day. If endurance athletes can lean on bananas for nutrition, surely we can too.

5)    Kale Chips- Kids like kale these days (lucky for us). What an incredible alternative to potato chips and other fried foods! Kale Chips are absolutely jam-packed with vitamin K which builds bone mass in the body. This treat will provide the crunch they love and the nutrients you love for our developing kids to eat!  One of our favorite companies is Just Pure Foods, because all of the products are organic, made with love and taste amazing.

-Tips from Jenny Engel and Heather Goldberg of Spork Foods.

My Thoughts 

We got to test out the Pistachio Chewy Bites and they are really awesome. Each one is a delicious blend of two of my favorite things: pistachios and cranberries. These nuts and berries are merged together into a mini bar. They are a chewy and delicious combination of salty and sweet that is a mouth watering concoction both kids and adults can enjoy.

Each Pistachio Chewy Bite comes in its own individual package to ensure freshness. This makes them a great snack when you're on the go or to toss in school lunch boxes. In addition to tasting great, they are packed with protein and fiber. Best of all, they are a 100% natural choice, that is gluten free, dairy free, GMO free, and vegan friendly. 

Pistachio Chewy bites are available in major grocery store chains across the country such as: Fairway, Shoprite, A&P, Roundy’s, HEB, Safeway, Ingles, Gelson’s, King Kullen, Earth Fare, Price Chopper, Wegmans, Save Mart, Lucky, Hy-Vee, Shop n’ Save, etc.  They are also available online at Amazon.com and Puritan.com.

Pricing: 6-Pack $5.99 and 16-Pack $12.50

Website: http://www.pistachiochewybites.com

Pearson Farm Pecans Make Baking Fun

Chocolate isn't for everyone. If you're looking for  something special for the nut-lover in your life this Mother's Day, look no further than Pearson Farm and their delicious pecans. Whether you use them to cook, munch on the flavored varieties, or simply eat them by the handful, these  pecans will delight your taste buds.  Plus, they're a good source of protein!

I got to try out a bag of their Elliot Halves Pecans, and they were simply fabulous.The bag I received contained a full pound of nuts! That's way more than you think, especially when they're already out of their shells. I've been picking at them for a few weeks, and used some for cooking, and we still have a ton of them left. The nuts were fresh and delicious right from the bag, but my husband couldn't resist using them for a recipe as well. Being a chef, he always has to do things differently. He decided to make a pecan pie, but with a twist. Instead of corn syrup, he used toffee, and the result was a sweet treat our whole family enjoyed.

 Toffee Pecan Pie Recipe

• 1 cup Toffee
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon  Vanilla Extract
• 1-1/2 cups Pearson Farms pecans
• 1 pie crust

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Mix toffee, eggs, sugar, butter & vanilla. Stir in crushed pecans. Pour filling into pie crust.
3. Garnish top with additional Pearson Farms pecans
4. Bake for  50 minutes . Cool for two hours before serving.

This pie turned out fantastic, and I have no doubt that it was the Pearson Farm pecans that made it so great. The best part is, we still have about a quarter of the bag left! If you'd like to learn more about Pearson Farm and all the yummy pecans they offer, be sure to visit their website or follow them via their social media.

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Healthy Snacking with GourmetNut - Review & #Giveaway

With four kids, two jobs, and lots of extracurricular activities, I'm a mom whose always on the go. I rarely have time to stop and make a real lunch. I normally munch of what I can here and there throughout the afternoon. I want something quick and easy, but I also look for foods that are healthy and still taste great. GourmetNut's delicious trail mix blends and trail bites are the perfect solution for me. Their resealable bags are loaded with lots of good things, and easy to enjoy on the go. Here are a few of the tasty treats I got to try.

Power Up High Energy Trail Mix - The Power Up blends are designed to give you a great-tasting energy boost. It includes pineapple, banana chips, coconut, cranberries, walnuts, cashews, and papaya. This is a great choice if you want a taste of the tropics. It's also vegan, gluten-free, and all-natural.

Power Antioxidant Mix - Raisins, walnuts, dark chocolate, blueberries, pecans, and cranberries. This one has all my favorites. The blend is also vegan friendly and gluten free, and has the added bonus of giving your body a little boost that can help you stay healthy.

Almond Cranberry Crunch - This is a really sweet delight. It merges almonds, cranberries, peanuts, and raisins.  There is no cholesterol or trans fat, so you can enjoy this by the handful without feeling guilty.

Gourmet Trail Bites Bananas and Dark Chocolate -  I saved the best for last. These are just scrumptious. They are clumps of banana and nuts coated in dark chocolate. It tastes like candy, but its really a healthy GMO free snack.

These are only a few of the yummy blends you can find at GourmetNut. If you'd like to learn more about GourmetNut and all the delicious snacks they offer, be sure to visit their website or follow them via their social media.  Shipping is free on all orders over $75 so stock up on these delicious all-natural snacks today.

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The Giveaway

One lucky winner is going to receive a prize pack that includes:

Power Up High Energy mix 14oz

Almond Cranberry Crunch Mix 8oz

Power Up Antioxidant Mix 2.25oz

Banana and dark chocolate trail bite 6oz

 To enter, simply fill out the giveaway tools form below. This giveaway will end on 5/1/15. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US only. Thanks again to the sponsor for offering this fantastic prize.

Entry-Form

Tosi - Simple & Convenient Snacks

If you're looking for a healthy snack that tastes amazing, Tosi might be just the thing for you. These high energy super bites are chock full of nuts, chai seeds, flax seed and other all-natural ingredients.  Each package of bites  is not only tasty, they're also gluten free, vegan, and organic. The blend is held together with cane juice, with makes each bite the perfect combination of salty and sweet.

One of the things I really love about Tosi is that they are bite size. When you first open the package, it looks like a snack bar, but the pieces actually snap apart. I love his idea,  because the bites are very filling and I can't eat a whole package at one sitting. I like being able to keep in on my desk and take a bite here and there. They are also packed with protein, so every time I eat one, I get a jolt of energy that really helps me to make it through the day. 

Tosi SuperBites super-food snacks are available in two flavors - Cashew and Almond.  They are great tasting, organic, and gluten-free. They’re sold across the US in many locations including Mother's Market, Nekter, and other health stores and eateries. Also, SuperBites are featured by Birchbox this month. In addition to Super Bites, Tosi also makes probiotics, digestive enzymes, Tosi Greens (antioxidant powder drink), and Tosi Complete Meal (meal replacement shake). To learn more about this amazing company and all they have to offer, you can visit their website or follow them via their social media. 

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SunRidge Farms Healthy Holiday Snacks

Whether they're on the table or in your stocking, the holidays wouldn't be complete without nuts! With Sunridge Farms, you can find organic and all-natural mixes that are sure to spice up your festivities.  Here are a few of my favorites varieties.

Sea Salt & Pepper Pistachios

Why didn't I ever think to add pepper to my pistachios? What a brilliant idea. These perfectly roasted pistachios have a pinch of sea salt and a dash of pepper added to them to give them a little extra kick. It's a snack you can enjoy anytime without guilt.

Hatch Chile Fiesta Mix

 The name says it all. This mix is like fiesta in your mouth. It's a blend of almonds, cashews, pretzels and more blended with  hatch green chiles and spices. It has a real kick to it, but not enough to send you  running for a glass of water. This is a great mix to set on the table if you want to keep the party flowing through to the New Year.

Dark Chocolate Hazelnuts

O.M.G these are absolutely amazing. Each one is a freshly harvested hazelnut dipped in premium dark chocolate. They are decadent indulgence great for snacking or to add to other desserts.  The only problem is trying not to eat the entire bag in one sitting.

Each of these tempting morsels from SunRidge Farms comes in its own bag to guarantee freshness. They are GMO-free and absolutely delicious. If you'd like to learn more about SunRidge Farms products and everything they offer or you want to find a store near your that sells these amazing snacks, be sure to visit their website. You can also find them on face book.