Purely Classic Recipes from the Purely Twins

Over the past couple of weeks I have had an opportunity to take a sneak peak at Lori and Michelle Corso's cookbook!



Such a lovely collection of 22 of the Purely Twins favorite recipes...  All are free of gluten, dairy, eggs, and soy, with some grain and sugar free too! There is a mix of raw and baked goods.  These are recipes that they have never shared previously.

As I leafed through it, I realized that there were a couple of ingredients that I was not familiar with at all, but then realized that there is a great resources guide along with easy subtitutions, too.  The pictures are beautiful, and there are lots of helpful tips and intstructions along the way.

The book is very nicely put together and I will be trying even more of the recipes as the weeks go by.

If you are looking for delicious and healthy baked and RAW treats, you really should get over to their site and download your own copy of this fabulous book.

Congratulations to Lori and Michelle..... you reallly have a hit on your hands!

Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil Review

I first began using Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil in the Fall of 2011 when I received a 32 oz. jar of their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to sample.

I was a bit confused by it at first… it seemed solid at room temperature and cooler, and I learned that in this form it is referred to as coconut butter… when gently warmed, it liquifies and becomes coconut oil.  Have you been confused by that, too?

Either way,  I liked it immediately and  I developed some new recipes in my galley just to make use  of it:

Creamy Fall Oats

 

 

Chocolate Bark with Almonds and Raisins

 

and included them in a review of the product I published at that time.  I also submitted them to Tropical Traditions for inclusion on their web site.

Since then, Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil has replaced olive oil in my cooking and my baking on a regular basis.  I really prefer the taste and I particularly like that this coconut oil can handle the higher heat required when stir frying veggies and browning roasts.  It is great to use in frying things such as cauliflower and garlic to make ‘rice’ and prepare for pizza ‘crusts’.  It is great in muffins and loaves and breads, and I find it works very well for sauces, curries and soups as well.

And that is not to even MENTION how wonderful it smells when cooking... no matter what I might be making, The Captain always comes into the kitchen to compliment the lovely aroma and anticipate what great tasting goodie I might be cooking for him!  The aroma is much stronger than the actual taste.

Curried Coconut Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

 

A few months ago I started using coconut oil to brush my teeth as well…. mixed with a bit of baking soda to make a paste, it brightens and whitens my teeth and gives them a smooth and shiny finish! 

I know that lots of people are also using it to condition their hair and their skin.

 

 

Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website:

What is Virgin Coconut Oil?

Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality

coconut oil.

You can visit their website to check current promotions, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the advantages of buying coconut oil online.

 

If you are interested in learning about its health benefits here is the best website to read about the many health benefits of coconut oil.

 

Do you use coconut oil in your baking and cooking?

 

Do you have any non-food uses for it?

 

 

Be sure to check back next week… there is a giveaway coming up!

 

 

Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Eat Smart Precision Pro Kitchen Scale Giveaway

Did you read my Eat Smart Precision Pro Kitchen Scale review last week?

I am so excited to share this news… Eat Smart wants to give one of my readers a Precision Pro Kitchen Scale just like the one in my review.

So, if you live in Canada or the U.S. and would like to have one of these scales, here is how to enter the giveaway:

Mandatory:

Leave a comment on this post and tell me why you want to win. Make sure you leave an email address so I can find you easily if you win, PLEASE.

Bonus entry:

For an additional entry, tweet about the giveaway and include @EatSmartScales and @WeCanBegin2Feed and a link to this post in your tweet.  You do not need to leave an additional comment.   If you tweeted as indicated, I will find it.  Simply Retweeting my tweet or someone else's tweet does not qualify. You must post an original tweet.

The giveaway will be open until 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Sunday, February 3rd, 2013.  I will select a winner on Monday, February 4th, 2013, and try to contact the winner by email and also share the winner’s name on this post.  If I do not receive an email in response from the winner by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, February 7th, 2013, I will select a different winner.

The prize will be provided and directly sent to the winner by Eat Smart Products.

I am hosting this same giveaway for the same scale on another blog eatrunsail ... there is only the one scale to be awarded and it is being advertised on both blogs.  You can enter there as well if you like.  If you enter on both blogs you can have a maximum of 4 entries.

UPDATE!

This giveaway is now closed and the lucky winner is

kevershed

I have sent an email message to the winner and hope to hear back soon!

Going Bananas with Oh! Naturals

Are you a snacker?  Do you love bananas?  Do you ever get a yen  for something a little crunchy and a little sweet?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then I have something to share with you that you are going to really love.

Oh! Naturals Flavoured Banana Chips...  now available in three great flavours, Strawberry, Natural, and Chocolate. You can find Oh! Naturals at Safeway stores across Canada,  as well as at Co-op and Sobey stores in Western Canada.  Starting next year, Oh Naturals! will also be available Bulk Barn stores nationwide.

They are made from whole fruit and make a perfect anytime snack because these banana chips:

• are peanut free
• are gluten free
• have no added sugar
• are salt free
• are dairy free

Oh! Natural Flavoured Banana Chips are safe in school lunch boxes and can be easily toted along in sports bags or stored in your desk drawer.... they come in a resealable bag so they stay fresh and crispy.



We recently received a generous boxful of the three flavours to sample, and have been really enjoying them in a variety of ways...

• right out of the bag
• mixed with nuts and other dried fruits in trail mix
• as cereal toppings
• with yogurt
• dipped in yogurt and peanut butter mixture
• in my Healthy Breakfast Bowls
• in my after-workout protein 'sludges'

Oh! Naturals Natural Flavoured Banana Chips, hazelnuts, cashews, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds



Oh! Naturals Strawberry Flavoured Banana Chips

 

 

Oh! Naturals Chocolate Flavoured Banana Chips topping a mixture of protein powder, milled flax seed, almond milk

 



The three flavours all have very similar Nutritional Information.  This is the back of the Natural bag.



For a generous serving of 28g (approximately 19 - 21 pieces):

 

Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 127; Protein 1g; Carbohydrate 21 or 22g; Fat 4g; Fibre 1g.



They are made from whole bananas, vegetable oil, natural and artificial flavorings, and the chocolate variety has a chocolate powder which may contain soy.  Very simple ingredient list. Nothing you cannot pronounce here!

We are so excited about this new product that we are making sure to share our samples with friends and neighbors, too, in order to get the word out.  We haven't found anyone yet who has had a negative thing to say... everyone who likes bananas, and crispy, crunchy chips will be sure to enjoy Oh! Naturals Flavoured Banana Chips as much as we do!

Check out the Oh! Naturals web site and look for them on Facebook, too.

I was given this product for review but the opinions are my own.

Do you eat dried fruit?

Do you think you would like dried bananas?

Taste of Nature Review - a Healthy and Delicious Snack!

Most of the time I like to make our own treats.  And most of the time they are pretty healthy, with the occasional indulgence in sugary cookies, or even cake, mostly for The Captain...

But once in a while I come across a ready-made product that is so good and so delicious that I have to share it with you.

These Taste of Nature Organic Fruit and Nut Bars are one of those very special products. 

Everything you see comes straight from nature.  Nothing artificial, no fillers and no chemicals with hard to pronounce names!

Certified Organic - Gluten Free -  Vegan -  Kosher

Non GMO - Low Glycemic Index

Just take a look at a few of these gorgeous bars:

Canadian Maple Forest

and you can smell the maple syrup as soon as you open the package!

Pecans, apricots, Brazil nuts, honey, brown rice syrup, raisins, whole grain brown rice crisps, agave  nectar, maple syrup flavor, vanilla flavor, sea salt.

Himalayan Goji Summit and Persian Pomegranate Garden

\

Himalayan Goji Summit

Peanuts, raisins sunflower seeds, agave surup, almonds, goji berries, brown rice syrup, raspberries.

Persian Pomegranate Garden

Cashews, walnuts, apples, agave nectar, figs, cranberries, apple juice concentrate, sunflower oil, pomegranate juice concentrate, whole grain crisp rice, brown rice syrup, raspberries.

Taste of Nature bars are sweetened with agave syrup which ranks very low in the glycemic index.  As a result six of the eleven Taste of Nature bars were clinically tested and attained GI scores ranging from 38.2 to 51.7, well below the low GI target of 55.  This makes them a particularly good choice for a snack between meals that will satisfy hunger and maintain blood sugar levels... no highs and lows.

Whether you are watching sodium, dairy, wheat, cholesterol or are vegan or vegetarian, Taste of Nature meets the most stringent nutritional requirements with outstanding, satisfying taste.

• No additives
• No artificial flavors
• No artificial sweeteners
• No animal products
• No dairy
• No preservatives
• No quasi natural sweeteners
• No simple sugars
• No Sulphur Dioxide
• No cholesterol
• No wheat
• No gluten
• Low sodium

There are 11 different combinations in the line up, and they are all mouth-wateringly tempting and absolutely satisfying and delicious. They are very simply packaged in a clear cello wrapper so that you can see exactly what you are getting.... and I bet you will not be able to choose just one or two!

It is so nice to find a really healthy pre-packaged snack that travels well. Stash one in your purse,your glovebox, your desk, your pocket, or your gym bag, and you have a nutritious snack that will easily take you to your next meal or give you the energy you need to carry on with your busy day.

The Captain and I have been enjoying them immensely... usually we open one and share it, savoring every little bite!

For my Weight Watchers friends, I want to tell you that these bars have between 150 and 220 calories and they range from 4 to 8 WW P+ each. 

You can buy them in several different retail outlets or online at www.tasteofnature.ca  - Check out their contests and community initiatives while you are there.

Thanks to Taste of Nature for supplying me with a bar in every flavor in order to write this review.



GNC Whey ISO Burst Protein Powder... and a GREAT Protein-Packed Cookie!

As a FitFluential Ambassador, I am currently involved  in some product sampling sponsored by GNC Canada.  I was given some Whey Iso Burst protein powder to use and review.  I chose a new-to-me flavor called Banana Berry Burst as I thought it would be fun to try something other than my usual choices of chocolate and vanilla.

I love bananas so it really was not that much of a stretch... and I was not disappointed!

This product sampling has come at a very good time for me because I am running 3 times per week right now, training for a half marathon to be run Mid-May.  And I am also strength training 3 times per week and doing some yoga and Pilates.  I am noticeably hungrier, and was craving sweets until I started adding more protein to my diet.  This protein powder has really helped with that effort.

I have been using this protein powder in a variety of ways...

Stirred into my breakfast oats after they are cooked.

It gives them a bit of added sweetness too, and I am satisfied till lunch time.

I have been making protein-packed smoothies to drink after running.

And I have made flourless high-protein pancakes.

And I recently found a recipe for protein-packed cookies that I couldn't wait to try!

The original recipe came from Itty Bits of Balance and looked like a great way to get some more protein into my day, in a fun way.  It is a cookie and I did change a few thing so I am going to offer it here the way I made them up(with Brittany's approval).  Brittany's original recipe calls for chocolate chips and peanut butter... I am using butterscotch chips and almond butter.  I think any combination of baking chips and nut butter that you like would be great!  And liquid honey would be fine in place of the agave syrup with very similar N.I. too.

Hat's off to Brittany for coming up with this great idea... and I will be making more of them.  I like to have a high-protein snack in my pocket when I set out on a walk or a bike ride, or a drive in the car, and these cookies will fill that need quite nicely.

Here is how I made them...

Butterscotch Chip Protein Cookies

Makes 15 cookies 

• 1 cup quick (not instant) oats
• 1/2 cup protein powder
• 1/4 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 2 Tbs agave

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. In a large bowl, mix the oats, protein powder and butterscotch chips.
3. Crack the egg into a small bowl and lightly beat it.  Add the almond butter and agave and mix till smooth.
4. Add the wet ingdredients to the dry ingredients and mix.  You may have to use your hands. It will be sticky and stiff.
5. Form into 15 balls and set on parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  If any chips have not stuck in the dough, press them into the tops of the cookies. 
6. Slightly flatten the cookies with a fork.
7. Bake for 8 minutes till lightly golden and then remove from oven. 

Per serving of 1 cookie.

Weight Watchers P+ = 2.

Calories 90; Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 9g; Fat 4g; Fibre 1g.

Mix oats, protein powder and chips.

Lightly beat egg, then add almond butter and agave. Mix well.

Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Resulting cookie is dense and quite tasty. It makes a good 'dunker'.

And just so you know, there was only a hint of banana flavor in these cookies!  I did use the Banana Berry Burst protein powder in them but vanilla or chocolate would be great, too.

I hardly need to tell you that The Captain loves them!

This powder is so easy to work with as it readily mixes with liquids just by stirring.  There is no need to use a blender or shaker.  Here is what GNC has to say about it.

"Protein Drink Mix
Low Carb, Low Fat Formula
40 Grams of Protein Isolate
Mixes Instantly

Whey ISO Burst contains 40 grams of protein per serving derived from Cross Flow Microfiltered (CFM) Whey Protein Isolate. This high quality whey isolate has an exceptional protein percentage while being very low in fat, carbohydrates and lactose. Whey ISO Burst also contains a balanced array of naturally occurring whey protein microfractions and is an excellent source of essential amino acids."

I was given this product to review at no cost but the opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Chobani Greek Yogurt Keeps Me Coming Back For More

It's been a couple of weeks since I first talked about my love for Chobani yogurt.  On the day I pubished that post, another Chobani shipment arrived on our doorstep, and I could not have been more excited!

The Captain helped me bring it in and open it up and inside the cardboard carton we found...

An insulated bag with 8 still-frozen ice packs, and....

2 large containers of  my very favorite fat free Plain Chobani yogurt, along with...

2 flats of single-serving (170g each) flavored Chobani yogurt...

8 containers each of Peach, Pomegranate, Strawberry, and Black Cherry Chobani yogurt.

Are you kidding me?

I was practically jumping for joy and having the worst (and best) time ever trying to decide which one to try first.  Finally The Captain put an end to my torment and tore open 2 containers, one for each of us....

Peach for himself....

and Pomegranate for me.

We stirred and stirred and stirred, mixing in the fruit laying on the bottom of the containers.  And we savored every little mouthful, never wanting to get to the bottom.  This yogurt is so thick and so creamy and so delicious and downright sinful tasting!  It is hard to believe that each of these 170g containers is only 4P+ each on the Weight Watchers Points Plus program. 

I loved that there are bits of real fruit in them and even more that the Pomegranate actually has a few seeds in it.  A great surprise and it really adds to the authenticity of the flavor and 'pom' experience.

Well, since then, we have also been enjoying the other 2 flavors...

The Black Cherry...

And the Strawberry... 

I wasted no time in making a Strawberry  Yogurt Pie for our wedding anniversary. 

I made some lovely Baked French Toast with Fruit and Chobani for a special dinner one evening.

 and for a special Valentine's breakfast, I whipped up some Heart-Healthy and delicious  Strawberry Oatcakes.

And for a treat for yourself... an Easy Single Serve Brownie.

There is so much you can do with Chobani Greek yogurts OTHER than just opening a container and eating it... which we love to do.  And they are so filling, we often share one, just to stretch them out a bit longer.  Now that I have discovered Chobani Greek yogurt, and come to love it so much, my greatest fear is that I will not be able to get anymore! I have been entering giveaways where I find them and just learned I have won another one...  so happy for that and feeling quite fortunate and grateful, too.

Chobani Greek yogurt is not yet available in Western Canada, although you lucky peeps in the GTA and in the U.S. can get it, and new flavors are being added all the time! 

Check out Chobani Kitchen for recipes and ideas and a store locator, and find them on Facebook too.

I was given this shipment of Chobani Greek yogurt at no cost to myself, but the opions expressed are 100% my own. 

Chobani Greek Yogurt and My Easy Apple Danish

A few weeks ago I entered a giveaway for some Greek yogurt. It was a brand I had not seen before and thought it would be fun to try it.  I was really happy to learn that I had won it, and eagerly awaited its arrival.  A few days later a rather large carboard carton appeared on the doorstep.  It was labelled CHOBANI .

I was so excited to open it!  Inside I found a styrofoam cooler full of styrofoam packing peanuts.  As I rummaged around inside, I found three 32 oz. (907g) cartons of Chobani Greek yogurt and 4 freezer packs.  I was surprised and very pleased to find that they were all still frozen quite solid after a cross-continent journey from the East Coast of the U.S. to the West Coast of Canada.

Chobani Greek yogurts contain only natural ingredients and no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. The nutritional information on these large containers is based on weight and after doing some calculations I determined that 1/4 cup of each of these flavor is equal to 1 P+ on the Weight Watchers Points Plus program. 

The first yogurt we tried was the fat free Vanilla.  Every spoonful was absolutely delightful...  thick and creamy...  The Captain couldn't believe that it was fat free and kept asking for another serving!  It didn't last more than a few days.  We ate it at every opportunity!

We spooned it on fruit, breakfast oats and quinoa, and enjoyed it for dessert.

My oat scones with blueberries and Vanilla Chobani

Then I opened both the fat free Plain and the 2% Plain.  I love to have Plain yogurt on hand as I like to spoon it into soups, and onto stews, and I like to eat it with fruit and use it in smoothies.  I love the versatility of Plain yogurt because you can enjoy it just as is or add honey or spices to it if you like.

Sweet Potato soup

Oatmeal, butterscotch chips, brown, sugar and raisins

Mixed berry-banana smoothie

Baked oatmeal with raisins and canned peach slices

Apple Danish - recipe at bottom of this post

Another really nice thing about these Chobani yogurts is that the expiry date was more than a month in the future so I didn't feel like I had to gobble them up... I could savor them and really enjoy them.  And I think that is important.  These Greek yogurts are so thick and so rich-tasting, that a little bit really satisfies me.  With a regular yogurt, I tend to eat about 1/2 cup or more at a time.  With these, a couple of tablespoons is enough, so they are naturally going to last longer and it is very important they are going to stay fresh in the refrigerator for longer too.

So, I got in touch with the folks at Chobani to tell them how much I love these yogurts and to find out where I can buy them, only to learn that although they are now sold in Canada, they are available only in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area).  How disappointed I was to learn that!
 
But, because I was so enthusiastic about these products, they kindly offered to send me some more!  And I will be sure to tell you all about it soon. 

Be sure to look for Chobani where you shop... and check our their web site and their Facebook page for great recipes and contests.  And if you are on Pinterest, you will find lots of good ideas there too.

The following is a recipe I came up with one morning this past week. I wanted to give The Captain a special sweet treat to have with his 2% Plain Chobani Greek yogurt and he loved it!  You could add a second apple to the mixture if you like.

Easy Apple Danish
Makes 6 servings

• 1 can crescent dinner rolls
• 1 large apple, cored and sliced thinly
• 2 Tbs butter
• 3 Tbs brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling

1. Place the apple slices in a medium skillet along with the butter, sugar and cinnamon. Cook on MEDIUM-LOW for about 10 or 15 minutes to soften the apples and glaze them. If the mixture bubbles, turn the heat lower. Stir occasionally. It will be very hot so don't touch it!
2. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F.
3. Coat a square 8x8 pan with non-stick spray. Cover the bottom with half of the crescent roll dough and push the seams together with your fingers. Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon.
4. When the apples are cooked, spread them evenly over the dough and then cover them with the other half of the dough. Sprinkle with more cinnamon.
5. Bake for 25 minutes till golden.
6. Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes before adding yogurt and serving.

Per serving without yogurt.
Weight Watchers P+ = 5.
Calories 192; Protein 3g; Carbohydrate 26g, Fat 9g; Fibre 1g.

Mix the butter, sugar, apples, and cinnamon together in a non-stick pan over MEDIUM-LOW heat.

Spread half the roll doug in a square baking dish.

Cook the apples till soft and glazed with sugar.

Spread apple mixture evenly over the dough.

Put the rest of the dough over the apples and sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon.

Bake till golden and allow to cool a bit before cutting and serving.

Mmmmm.... Chobani!

Printable Recipe

I was given this product because I won it in a contest. I was not solicited for a review/endorsement and the opinons expressed are my own.