From the category archives:

Food Reviews

Original Super Bowl Recipes Courtesy of the Amazing Avocado!

by Joi on January 31, 2010

I can’t even tell you how much I love avocados. I’ve tried before and felt that I came up short, so I figure why even try? Suffice to say, I could eat two every single day for the rest of my life and want more. I use them in guacamole (of course), on paninis, in tossed salads, in pasta salads, on pizza, in tacos, in fajitas, and I’ve even put them into scrambled eggs before.

I also love to slice them, remove the pit, and sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice inside. Then I toss a little finely chopped tomato with a little olive oil and salt and glob the tomato mixture onto the avocado. If I have fresh cilantro on hand, I sprinkle some on top. Then I have a party in my mouth. Naturally, I also simply slice them and eat them quite often as well.

A year or so ago, while reading a favorite cookbook, Nigella Express, I came across this quote from the beautiful author: “I eat an enormous amount of avocados…. (I remember reading) when I was really quite young, just in my teens, that the dogs that lived in avocado orchards always had shiny, glossy coats because of all the windfall fruit they snaffled up daily. That image has stuck with me, and it is such an appealing one. I always have it in mind as I prepare myself an avocado, which is often.”

Ever since reading that quote, I picture Nigella’s gorgeous hair when I cut open an avocado!

Below you’ll find a wealth of Avocado information – how to pick an avocado, how to cut an avocado, how to prepare an avocado, the nutritional values of avocados, a guacamole recipe, and a Chicken and Avocado Pizza recipe. Have mercy! The avocado recipes below (as well as the ones linked to at the end of this Mega Avocado Post) can give you the power to have the best Superbowl Snacks on the block when the Colts and the Saints fight it out for the big one. This has nothing to do with avocados or even cooking, but for the first time EVER, I honestly don’t care which team wins this year – I like them about the same. Peyton Manning is a class act and the Colts are a classy organization -what’s not to like about them? At the same time, the Saints are a lot of fun to watch and they’ve really built their program up to a position of dominance. It’d be great to see them rewarded for all their hard work.

I guess I’ll just sit back and enjoy the game, almost as much as the snacks!

Guacamole Monster Dip Recipe

1 fully ripened Avocado from Mexico – halved, pitted and diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon wasabi
1 cup plain thick Greek-style yogurt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

In bowl, combine avocado, yogurt, ginger, salt, wasabi, garlic, and lime juice; stir until well mixed.
Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Garnish with chopped chives, if desired.
Serve as a dip with chips or vegetables or topping for iceberg lettuce wedges or romaine hearts.

Preparation time is about 5 minutes. Yields about 1-1/2 cups.

Chicken and Avocado Pizza Recipe

California-style pizza, ready to enjoy in less than 15 minutes | Serves 2-4

1 12-inch Boboli ready-made pizza crust
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/4 teaspoon chipotle Tabasco
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 fully ripened Avocado from Mexico, halved pitted, peeled and sliced

-Heat oven to 425°F. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet; bake crust 7 minutes.
-In small bowl, combine pizza sauce and Tabasco.
-Spread pizza with sauce; top with chicken, Avocado and cheese.
-Bake until crust is crisp on the bottom, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Yields 8 slices.

Nutritional Information for Avocados:

One-fifth of a medium avocado (3 slices), or about one ounce, has only 50 calories.
Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including 4% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 8% folate, 4% fiber, 2% iron, 4% potassium, with 81 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene.
Avocados contribute good fats to one’s diet, providing 3 grams monounsaturated fat and 0.5 polyunsaturated grams fat per 1 oz. serving.
Avocados have a favorable unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio of 3.5 grams to 0.5 grams, making them a great substitute for foods rich in saturated fats.
Avocados can help consumers meet the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA), which are to eat a diet that is low to moderate in fat. According to the AHA, mono and polyunsaturated fats, when consumed in moderation and eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease risk for heart disease.
Avocados are cholesterol- and sodium-free, and more than 50 percent of the fruit’s fat content comes from monounsaturated fats. The avocado is virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat.
Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.
Avocados contain 76 milligrams beta-sitosterol in a 3-oz serving of avocado. Beta-sitosterol is a natural plant sterol which may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Avocados contain 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein in a 1 oz. serving, which some studies suggest may help maintain healthy eyes.

How to Choose the Perfect Avocado from Mexico

(Or, How to recognize your Hass!)

Avocados from Mexico are available year round. You can spot a ripe Hass Avocado from Mexico by its green-black pebbly textured skin.
Look for the “Avocados from Mexico” sticker
It appears on only the finest Avocados imported from Mexico.
Hass has heft
When you hold the Avocado, it should feel heavy for its size and have no mushy spots.

Get it ripe
Avocados mature on the tree, but they soften and develop their fullest flavor after picking. You can count on a firm green Avocado to ripen within three to four days. If the skin is a mottled color – green with black patches – it will be ready for use in a shorter time, two to three days.

Need your Avocado now?
If you need Avocados to use right away, look for fruit whose skin has turned dark green or black. The Avocado should yield to gentle pressure from a thumb.

Avocado Ripening and Storage Information

How to tell if your Avocado is ripe
To determine if your Avocado from Mexico is ripe, gently press on the bottom with your finger; ripe Avocados will feel slightly soft. And when shopping for and storing Avocados, use this guide:

Storing ripe Avocados
Avocados at stages 2 – 4 can be stored at room temperature in an area with good circulation to continue their ripening. For speedier ripening, keep Avocados in a closed paper bag. To slow down ripening, refrigerate them until a few days before use.
Avocados at stages 4 – 5 can be stored in your refrigerator (36º to 40º F) for up to one week. When saving part of an Avocado for later use, cover the exposed flesh with plastic wrap to slow oxidation.

How to Cut and Prepare an Avocado

Cut
Using a sharp knife, cut into the Avocado straight down, longitudinally (from top to bottom) until you hit the pit.
Twist
Take the Avocado and twist it until it separates into two halves, one of which will contain the pit.
Hit
Carefully strike the pit with your knife. Using a twisting motion, use the knife’s leverage to loosen and dislodge the pit.
Spoon
With a spoon, gently scoop away the Avocado’s flesh from the outer skin.
Enjoy
Your Avocado is now ready to make your appetizer or entrée a work of culinary art.

Ways to Serve Avocados

Avocados are most commonly used to make guacamole, but they are so versatile and can be incorporated into many other dishes like main entrees,, salads, dips, desserts, and sandwiches.

Avocados substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods may help reduce dietary intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.

Images, recipes, and information are courtesy of www.theamazingavocado.com. Visit their site for hundreds of recipes. I just found one for Fish Tacos that I’ll be trying this week (I’d make it tonight if I didn’t already have a huge pot of Great Northern beans, potatoes, and ham cooking!). Another favorite is the Portabella Burgers with Avocado Spread. I’ve linked you to the page containing these recipes – be sure to browse around for more. That’s where I’m headed!

Classic Quesadillas Without the Classic Extra Fat and Calories

by Joi on January 27, 2010

On another blog recently, I was pointing out my husband’s outrageous loyalty to favorite brands (NordicTrack among others). I got to thinking about it and I might even be more loyal to certain brands when it comes to cooking and cleaning. You certainly know about my dedication to Sargento Cheeses and Beemer (online) Cheeses. I figure, if something’s outstanding, why wander away from it.

When I’m in the grocery store, in the dairy and cheese aisle, I don’t even bother looking at the other brands of cheese – I just look at the varieties of Sargento. (By the way, I realize this is reading kind of like a commercial, so I’ll just add that I am not being paid in any way to say these words! I just think this brand of cheese is ridiculously good.)

Sargento has been offering delicious, better than average cheese for some time now – but recently they began adding Reduced Fat cheeses to their line-up. I ignored them for a while, pretending like I didn’t see them any more than they saw me. Then I tried them and was blown straight away. If the packages didn’t tell me that they were reduced fat, I swear I’d never know.

I recently bought a few bags of Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese (Shredded Reduced Fat Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, & Asadero Cheese). I used one bag with Chicken Tacos and the other with a recipe for Classic Quesadillas that was on the back of the bag. Delicious! The recipe is below and you must, must, must try it.

Classic Quesadillas Recipe with Sargento’s Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese

2 cups (8 oz.) Sargento® Shredded Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese, divided
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp. chopped bottled jalapeño peppers
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
1/2 cup chunky-style salsa
1/4 cup fat-free or light sour cream (optional)

Directions:

Combine 1-1/2 cups cheese, beans, cilantro and jalapeño peppers in a medium bowl; mix well. Spoon onto tortillas; fold each tortilla over.
Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat until hot. Place 2 quesadillas in skillet. Cook 1 minute or until golden brown on bottom. Turn; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Cover; reduce heat. Cook 2 minutes more or until golden brown and cheese is melted. Cover to keep warm.
Repeat with remaining quesadillas and cheese. Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

I didn’t have any sour cream on hand, although it is wonderful with quesadillas, tacos, burritos, etc. In addition to the salsa, I served these with one of my favorite things on earth – guacamole. I almost always have at least 2 avocados rolling around the kitchen. Actually, make that at least 4 – two on the counter ready to go and a few more on a shelf, softening up. It’s my avocado system and it’s a delicious one.

So are these quesadillas!

New Wheaties Fuel Cereal For The Win

by Joi on January 16, 2010

Like I’ve said a couple of gazillion trillion times, I am slap addicted to having a bowl of cereal right before bedtime. Lately, I’ve been using vanilla rice milk or Vanilla Rice Dream in place of regular milk.

While I do buy my favorites again and again, I also like to mix things up by trying different cereals, especially brand new cereals – they really send me around the bend. While at the store recently, I threw a box into my cart so fast you’d think I was on Supermarket Sweeps. I was rounding the corner, pretty much minding my own business when I see the amazing Albert Pujols staring at me from a shelf. I noticed that he had buddies beside him but it wasn’t until Albert was in the cart (safely between 9 Lives Cat Food and a bag of baby spinach) that I bothered to see who his pals were: Kevin Garnett, Peyton Manning.

I wouldn’t expect Albert to run with anything except a classy crowd.

I am very pleased to announce that Wheaties Fuel is outstanding – absolutely delicious. The cereal is sweet enough for kids to love, but not too sweet. It’s very crunchy and crispy, with a wonderful nutty flavor. It’s the type of cereal that’s so fantastic, you could eat it right out of the box. Trust me, I have.

Try a box of Wheaties Fuel for yourself this week. We’re all trying to eat more foods that are good for us and less things that aren’t, and breakfast is an extremely important time to make healthy changes. Fast food breakfast sandwiches are known to be very unkind to your health and skipping breakfast is almost as bad. Make sure you and your family start the day off on a healthy (and delicious) foot. Wheaties Fuel tastes better than a cereal has a right to – and it’s healthy!

What’s more….. Albert Pujols is on the front of the box! Oh, sure you could buy one of the others. I mean, Peyton Manning and Kevin Garnett are pretty spectacular… but I’m pretty sure the boxes that feature #5 simply taste better. So there.

From Wheaties:

Just in time to jump start those fitness-related New Year’s resolutions, new Wheaties FUEL™ cereal – created with the help of Peyton Manning, triathlete Hunter Kemper, Kevin Garnett, gold medal-winning decathlete Bryan Clay, Albert Pujols and sports nutritionist Dr. John Ivy – is now available in retail stores across the country. Wheaties FUEL is a lightly sweetened, crunchy whole wheat flake with crispy rice and a touch of cinnamon and honey and it represents the evolution of the iconic 85-year-old Breakfast of Champions. Wheaties FUEL is the first-ever cereal designed to help meet the nutritional needs of today’s athletes. The ready to eat cereal provides long-lasting energy from whole grain to help keep you going and 100% of the Daily Value of five B-vitamins to help the body release energy from food.

Continuing the tradition of honoring champions on the front of the Wheaties box, Wheaties FUEL features individual box covers of Garnett, Manning and Pujols. In addition, all five athletes are pictured on the back of the boxes along with Dr. Ivy. All three 17.1 oz boxes are now available nationwide.

“Developing the new evolution of Wheaties has been more than two years in the making, and we’re excited to finally bring FUEL to retail and into the hands of consumers,” said Dan Stangler, marketing manager for Wheaties. “Today’s athletes need a finely tuned diet to allow their bodies to be efficient and competitive, and with the help of our team of champion athletes, a world-renowned sports nutritionist and everyday athletes, we’ve created the first-ever cereal designed to help fuel wins.”

“I grew up eating the original Wheaties, and it was an honor to be one of the athletes hand-picked to create an update of the classic cereal,” said football champion and 3-time MVP Peyton Manning. “I hope Wheaties FUEL inspires the next generation of athletes and competitors.”

“It’s always a tremendous honor to grace the cover of a Wheaties box,” said basketball champion and 12-time all-star Kevin Garnett. “What makes this really special is that our insight was an integral part in the development process of this cereal from start to finish.”

“Helping to create the new Breakfast of Champions was a great experience,” said first baseman Albert Pujols, an 8-time all-star and 3-time MVP. “I think we’ve come up with a unique product that will really benefit all types of athletes. And it tastes great!”

Wheaties FUEL is designed to help fuel athletic performance for active individuals who need a high amount of carbohydrates in their diet to meet their energy needs of activity. Each serving includes 210 calories to kick-start your morning; at least 16 grams whole grain (at least 48 grams recommended daily) for long-lasting energy; 100 percent of the Daily Value of five B-vitamins to help your body release energy from food; 5 grams of fiber to help curb hunger and keep you feeling full; as well as calcium and vitamin D to help promote bone health. Men often do not get the recommended amounts of vitamins A, C and E, and at least 10% of the Daily Value of these three antioxidant vitamins are provided in every serving of Wheaties FUEL*. The sugar level is 14g in order to provide immediate energy to get the day going and replenish the body’s energy stores after an overnight fast.

First announced last July, Wheaties FUEL has previously been available for purchase online only, where collector’s edition boxes of the cinnamon honey crunch-flavored cereal have been sold since last September. Wheaties FUEL will not replace the original Wheaties. Together, the two products will make up the evolved and expanded Breakfast of Champions product portfolio.

Clay, Kemper, Garnett, Manning and Pujols were hands-on in the creation of new Wheaties FUEL, and a six-part web series that chronicles the development process is available for viewing at www.wheaties.com. Both informative and humorous, the series shows the creation from Dr. Ivy’s first meeting with the participating athletes to discussions about what it takes to become a champion. The webisodes serve as a fun behind-the-scenes guide, culminating with a trip to General Mills in Minneapolis.

Born out of a fortunate mistake in 1924, original Wheaties was created when a health clinician accidentally spilled a wheat bran mixture onto a hot stove. The result was tasty, crispy wheat flakes that became known as Washburn’s Gold Medal Whole Wheat Flakes. A year later, the cumbersome name was shortened to Wheaties. Baseball legend Lou Gehrig was the first athlete featured on a Wheaties Box, when he appeared on the back cover in 1934. In 1958, American champion pole-vaulter Bob Richards was the first person to appear on the front of the package, jumpstarting the phenomenon of “being on the Wheaties box,” which has since been graced by some of the greatest athletes of all time, including Bruce Jenner, Walter Payton, Mary Lou Retton, and many others. To view a complete timeline of Wheaties Champions, visit www.wheaties.com.

Outstandingly Delicious and Healthy Snacks for Game Day

by Joi on January 15, 2010

One of our biggest pitfalls as a family trying to eat healthy foods is snack time. I make healthy meals and, even when we eat out, we make healthy choices. But when we’re watching football games, basketball games, baseball, Survivor, The Biggest Loser, or anything else on TV – we love our snacks.

Also – aside from my youngest daughter and our cats – the members of my family come and go all day and night. It can be exhausting for us homebodies watching them come and go. I’ve noticed that they all love to snack along their journeys… fuel for the road, I suppose. I try to keep healthier options in the kitchen and dining room for them to grab. Sure, we’ll have various forms of chocolate at any given time – I won’t even try to deny that. Besides, you’d smell the chocolate on my breath and call me out.

I always remind people that chocolate…

Is actually good for you – nutritionists sing the praises of dark chocolate almost as much as I do
Chocolate makes the world go round
Chocolate is sexy

So, you can count on this kitchen always, always, always boasting plenty of chocolate goodness just as surely as there will always be a coffee pot ready to play . The coffee will warm your body as the chocolate warms your mood. But potato chips, soft drinks, and fried, greasy crap has been exiled from our home.

Nuts are also remarkably good for you, so I keep several candy dishes filled with different kinds of nuts and nut blends. The largest candy dish is currently holding chocolate covered raisins and chocolate covered nuts. Another has almonds, which are a huge hit in my family.

Recently, I happened upon a combination that blew me completely away: Mariani Vanilla Yogurt Raisins and walnut pieces. I keep these yogurt covered raisins on hand because I’m totally addicted to them. They are ridiculously delicious. They had commandeered a large candy dish and I couldn’t find a spot for a bag of walnut pieces I’d just brought home from the store. So, I tossed the walnuts in with the yogurt covered raisins. When I passed by, I’d either pick out the raisins or the walnuts until I saw my husband grab a mixture and put them in his mouth. In an unsettling display of monkey-see/monkey-do, I jumped over and tried it for myself.

Holy deliciousness, Batman!!!

The combination reminds me of one of my favorite cookies, Iced Oatmeal Cookies. For whatever reasons, the vanilla-flavored yogurt, the raisins, and the walnuts make a powerhouse combination that convinces your mind that you’re eating the best Iced Oatmeal Cookie ever made. With less calories.

Try different combinations of nuts and dried fruit with your snackers… but, whatever you do, try the Vanilla-Flavored Yogurt-Covered Raisins paired with Walnuts first. It’ll blow you smack away. These yogurt-covered raisins are also outstanding when eaten with fruit such as pineapple wedges, grapes, strawberries, raspberries (!!!), blueberries, blackberries, and so on.

Below is a great recipe for Trail Mix Bars from Mariani – makers, not only of the yogurt covered raisins I eat like a cat with salmon, but also makers of many outstanding dried fruits and other snacks. Look for them on the shelves at your grocery store. In my favorite store, they’re located in the health food section.

Mariani Trail Mix Bars Recipe

2 cups margarine
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
6 cups mixture of Mariani Premium Banana Chips – crushed, raisins, mixed nuts, and chopped, Mariani Premium Mixed Fruit.
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3 cups granola

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix margarine, brown sugar, and white sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda, and add to butter and egg mixture. Stir in trail mix, oats, and granola. When mixed, drop spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

For more healthy recipes from Mariani, see their website.

Did you know that walnuts are very good for your brain? Click the link to learn how!

Beemster Cheese Soup With Herbs

by Joi on January 5, 2010

Beemster Cheese Soup With Herbs

Yield: 4 Servings

3-1/2 ounces Beemster Classic, grated finely
7 ounces Beemster Classic, coarsely grated
1 tablespoon flour
1-3/4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 zucchini, in cubes
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chives, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
freshly ground salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 °F.
Mix the grated Beemster Classic with the flour and spoon 8 mounds of cheese on a cookie sheet lined with baking parchment. Bake in the oven for 3-5 minutes to form nice flat wafers.
Leave the wafers on the cookie sheet to cool. Melt the butter in a stock pot and lightly sauté the onion and zucchini for 3-5 minutes.
Stirring constantly, add the milk and both and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth and creamy.
Stirring constantly, add the grated Beemster Classic a little at a time until it melts. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Serve the cheese soup in warmed soup plates and garnish with a generous amount of herbs with a cheese wafer on top.

Enjoy!

This recipe is courtesy of Beemster Premium Gourmet Cheese – click the link for many more fantastic recipes.

Beemster Gourmet Cheese is out of this world extraordinary. I love to shred it on salads, pasta, pizza, and eggs. I’m also completely addicted to slicing it off and eating it straight from the fridge! It’s THAT remarkable. When you’ve eaten truly special gourmet cheese like Beemster’s there’s no going back. There’s a rich, bold, extra-cheesy flavor that you simply can’t find anywhere else.

When you get a chance, do yourself a favor and try Beemster’s Gourmet cheese.

The best place to purchase Beemster’s Gourmet Cheese is igourmet.com… so what are you waiting for?!?!

Strawberry Banana Frosty Recipe with Organic Ricemilk

by Joi on December 28, 2009

I’ve been straight up addicted to Rice Dreams Vanilla Rice Drink for quite a while now. It sits deliciously on my list of Top 10 Favorite Healthy Foods and Drinks. Recently, I tried Full Circle’s Organic Original Ricemilk and was very pleasantly surprised. In fact, when my Top 10 list grows to a Top 20 list, you’ll find Full Circle ricemilk amongst the winners.

Full Circle Ricemilk is low in fat, with no soy protein and no cholesterol. Of course, none of that would mean jack if it weren’t good – which it most certainly is!

On the back of my most recent container was a great-sounding recipe for a Fruity frosty. I thought it sounded like something you might be interested in, so I thought I’d share.

STRAWBERRY BANANA FROSTY

Makes 3 Servings

3 Cups Full Circle Original or Vanilla Ricemilk, chilled

1 Ripe Banana

1 Cup Strawberries

Place all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. Serve immediately or refrigerate.…. and call me when they’re ready!

Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows Make Life Tastier: One Hot Chocolate at a Time

by Joi on December 16, 2009

Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows

Oh Joy! Oh Happiness! Oh Unspeakable pleasure! I’m sure you’ve guessed by now that I’m either in the middle of a cup of coffee, a chocolate experience, a delicious cookie, or am currently going one on one with candy of some sort.

I’m actually sort of out-doing myself right now. I just finished my pot of coffee and am losing myself in the best cup of hot chocolate I’ve EVER had. Did you catch that? – - – - EVER!

As always, I made my favorite Hot Chocolate recipe (It’s the one on the back of Kroger’s Baking Cocoa – funny, huh? I’ve tried every hot chocolate recipe known to exist and the best one is on a container of baking cocoa…and a store brand at that! What!?) This recipe always, always, always makes an outstanding cup of hot cocoa. However, I was feeling pretty full of myself this morning, so I kicked it up a notch. Right before I laddled the hot chocolate into our eager holiday mugs (my oldest daughter Emily is always my partner in hot chocolate adventures), I stirred in a little Hershey’s chocolate syrup.

Then, I poured the chocolate, aromatic, liquid Heaven into our cups. I topped hers off with three Chocolate Chipetta Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows – the look on her face was all I needed to tell me that she was in Chocolate Heaven and didn’t want to ever return. I took a sip and I must say – it doesn’t get any chocolate-y-er than this. YUM!

I topped my hot cocoa off with 3 Caramel Swirl Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows. Then, with my intentions clear, I sprinkled on a little Sea Salt. You got it! I was aiming for the effect of Starbuck’s Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. I honestly, humbly, and with chocolate and marshmallow goo on my face believe I outdid myself. This was a truly remarkable, ridiculously delicious cup of hot chocolate. I’ll just go ahead and say it – it’s even better than the drink Starbucks once made (then heartlessly yanked away!). The delicious caramel flavoring in these marshmallows isn’t just delicious – it’s slap your face delicious.

The same is true of the Chocolate Chipetta Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows. I know my chocolate, and these are premium, first class chocolate marshmallows. They earn the term Gourmet with every single bite.

Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows

I’ve thrown the Chocolate Chipetta Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows on top of a dollop of homemade whipped topping in coffee and highly recommend it! Think about it: Coffee, chocolate, candy… all in one place. It makes a remarkable cup of coffee that tastes like it came from a coffeehouse.

I’ve also tried the Luscious Lemony Meringue Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows. If the amazing smell of these gourmet marshmallows doesn’t knock you out, the flavor will. Heavenly! I toss them on top of hot tea – for those of you who (silly gooses!) who don’t care for green tea, these gourmet marshmallows will make the experience one to remember. You’ll drink every last drop.

The different flavors of gourmet marshmallows are outstanding on smores, too. I just build them and put them in the microwave. Everyone loves them. They’re perfect, beautiful, and delicious snacks for eating during ballgames, holiday specials, reruns of Andy Griffith, or your favorite Food Network show.

Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows

I’ve also toasted them (on the stove) and used them as dips for chocolate and caramel sauces. Amazing… that’s the best word for the experience… amazing!

There are Peppi-Mint, Cinnamon, and Vanilla Bean varieties that I’ve yet to try. I’m especially eager to meet the Peppi-Mint and Vanilla Bean flavors. Oh the plans I have for them!!!

Do yourself (and the people you’d consent to share with) a wonderful favor and head over to Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows to read more and, best of all, to order your own gourmet marshmallows. These are NOT, NOT, NOT like traditional, store-bought marshmallows. It’s like the difference between an eagle and a housefly.

Drat. My mug’s empty. Time to make more!

Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows

Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows on YouTube!

Healthy Eating: My Top 10 List Grows to a Top 12 List

by Joi on December 10, 2009

Yoplait Lowfat Yogurt

I knew this would happen eventually, but I didn’t realize it would happen so soon. I’d planned to periodically add to my Healthy Eating Top 10 List – making it the Top whatever-number list with each addition.

I didn’t know I’d be jumping all over it this soon, though. Thanks, Yoplait, for keeping me on my leaping toes!

I guess special thanks goes to my dentist as well since my dental surgery is what led me to locate and buy all of the soft food in my favorite Kroger. I grabbed about 10 Yoplait yogurts a few days ago and was blown away. They tasted like little baby-sized desserts rather than yogurt. Don’t get me wrong, I love yogurt – but if you twist my arm, I’m going for the baby-sized dessert effect.

The Yoplaits I grabbed on this trip were the Thick & Creamy varieties. I couldn’t make up my pain-medicine-induced mind, so I grabbed one of each (and two of the Blackberry Harvest, Key Lime Pie, and Peaches ‘N Cream): Blackberry Harvest, Key Lime Pie, Strawberry, Peaches ‘N Cream, Raspberry, Strawberry Banana, and Vanilla.

Each flavor was so amazingly delicious they caused “stupid faces” – you know the ones. The kind of “Oh, man, this is so yummy, I can’t even stand myself right now” face that you hope and pray no one sees you making… not even your cat. Unfortunately for me, my cat Alexa was watching and I’m pretty sure she raised an eyebrow. I just said, “Don’t judge me” and kept spooning my way to Heaven.

So there you have it, My Top 10 List has now grown to a Top 11 list with Yoplait Thick & Creamy Lowfat Yogurt securing the spot. If you want your family to eat healthier snacks, look no further than Yoplait Lowfat Yogurt. The only problem is, you’ll find yourself hiding your personal favorites in the fridge – behind this or behind that. It will happen.