Healthy Oatmeal Bites!

As promised, it’s time to celebrate National Heart Month and I have some healthy recipes to share! Today I present to you a quick and easy, healthy snack you can make for yourself and/or loved ones! My oldest son loves these quick little bites, I love them even more because I can get him to eat some healthy things by sneaking them into this recipe!

So here we go! And we’ve got three products that we enjoy in this recipe! We have McCann’s Irish Oatmeal, Breitsamer Honey and Hachez chocolate! Are you ready? It’s super easy to make and you’ll be enjoying a healthy snack in no time!

 

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Oatmeal Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry oatmeal
• 2/3 cup coconut flakes (toasted optional)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed meal
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (or so, I did less) chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (I used dark chocolate for this recipe)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until mixed throughly.
2. Optional: Chill first in the refrigerator for half an hour, then roll into balls.
3. OR roll into balls immediately after mixing. (Just a matter of preference, I have no issues rolling these before they are chilled.)
4. Store in airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to one week.

These are quick and simple, and provide some healthy oatmeal power! When forming the balls, you can size them any which way, the ones I had rolled were about 1 inch or so in diameter. By the way, the mini Breitsamer Honey jars are just about perfect for the amount needed for this recipe and work PERFECT! Enjoy!!

The best part, as I say with any recipe, you can tweak this recipe to your own tastes and likes! I like adding the spices in to give these oatmeal bites some more pizzaz! Try them out and adjust them to your preference!

 

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Winter Time Cookie Craving.

Winter time cookie craving in full effect! You may be seeing and reading a lot about different cookies and biscuits in the next days and weeks… it’s winter time and I just want to grab something quick and tasty to nibble on. It’s not candy or anything super sweet that I am craving, it is a tasty cookie that I am looking to curb my cravings. I guess you could say it’s a cookie time of year. After all the gingerbread and other holiday sweets, I kind of just want to get back to regular cookie mode. (But yes, I am still finding leftover holiday cookies and treats in my cupboards, it’s time to clean the cupboards out!)

This time of year is always so blah. Some days there is snow on the ground, some days it melts and then some days you get it all in one day. I can’t believe February is almost here, but yet, this winter and past fall seem like they have just been dragging us along. I’m ready for warmer days and longer daylight. Winter blues can go away!

So while out and about today, I decided to pick up these Biscovalo shortbread cookies made by Ambrosiana. I’ve highlighted cookies from Ambrosiana before, this was one of the cookies I haven’t tried yet! These cookies are thin and have a hazelnut flavor. The bottom has a nice chocolate glaze that melts right in your hand!

Just the right size and just the right amount of crispy cookie crunch needed on a gloomy, winter day! The weather here in Michigan is being quite finicky as usual: yesterday warm and thunderstorms, today cold and snowy. But while the weather is finicky, I can be happy knowing that I am enjoying a cookie delight that is GMO free. Made in Italy, Ambrosiana cookies are delicately made with wholesome ingredients.

I love the simple, yet elegant packaging of these cookies. And what you see on the box is what you get inside the box. No tricks or gimmicks! So go grab your favorite warm or hot beverage and sit down with a book or a good movie. Open up a box of these Biscovalo cookies and enjoy your day and take your stresses away!

 

Run, Run… As Fast As You Can…

Run, run… as fast as you can, but no one can stop the demise of Mr. Ginger, the Gingerbread Man! As I was shopping in one of the local stores in town, I passed by Mr. Ginger, the cute and friendly gingerbread man who brings holiday cheer all the way from Belgium’s Belfine chocolate factory. I couldn’t pick up just one, I had to pick up several. We have friends and family visiting later this month and he makes the perfect little addition to any gifts or treats we will be passing out or having on hand when company arrives. He’s super cute, made of chocolate and he appears to be a friendly little fellow. Unfortunately I could not save him from the demise of my youngest son. And what can I say, I suppose it was entertaining to watch Mr. Ginger see a cruel and horrific fate!

But before I share the downfall of Mr. Ginger, I’d like to also share this little gift package I bought the other day that was sitting right next to Mr. Ginger! It’s the cutest Santa with his sleigh and some reindeer! It’s the perfect gift for any child, young OR old, boy OR girl! It’s currently sitting on my kitchen counter, and there have been several eyes lurking at the prize inside! Sadly, this little gift package is NOT for my children, it will be given away to company visiting later this month! It’s actually torturing my youngest child who cannot wait for his friend to visit! He keeps asking me if it’s Christmas yet, I sadly let him know that it is not. He keeps asking me if his friend is arriving soon and if he’s in town already, I sadly once again let him know that it’s just not time yet. SOON! Very soon!

I have to admit, I have come close to opening this package of Santa and his reindeer myself… I keep thinking to myself that it would be fun to nibble off the antlers on those four-legged sleigh transporters. But seriously? How cute is this? Anyone would love receiving this little box as a gift for the holidays!

I am seriously impressed with these gorgeous Belfine chocolates – I just love the designs they come up with and I love how they package their products. Belfine seems to be a really creative and fun company to work for! I did write about their process of chocolate character making earlier this year in this blog post. It’s really neat how the chocolates are all made unique and have their own name. What I also espeically like about these chocoloates are the bright colors these treats have! They are made well and you can tell just by looking at them that these are a quality product! Let’s also not forget – they are GMO free!

I told my mom about the cute Santa and his reindeer for gift giving ideas, when she actually saw the package on my counter she was pleasantly surprised even noted how cute the set was! I kind of think that she would have rather been the first one to see it and buy it herself for gift giving purposes! I beat her to it!

And now… I bring your attention back to poor Mr. Ginger. Someone had waaaay too much fun chomping off his head… the poor little gingerbread dude never stood a chance! At least it was quick?!?! 😉

Nibble, nibble!

 

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Not Your Everyday Cookie.

Do you enjoy a tasty treat while enjoying your morning coffee or afternoon tea? Do you want a different cookie that is not like the rest? Look no further because Ambrosiana cookies are coming your way in this very post! These cookies are all the way from Italy and are GMO free! Ambrosiana also has a variety of holiday selections, perfect for your party planning! Check out the different varieties available for your holiday party below!

These cookies sure are beautiful in presentation, but how do they taste? Keep reading as we’ve got several different reviews! One from a local salon and one from yours truly and my handy cookie helper!

We thought we would ask local Rosie Bella Hair Salon to switch out their regular cookies for some of Ambrosiana’s to see which cookies they liked better. We heard that immediately upon replacing the original cookies, the Amborsiana cookies were an instant hit! Delivered to the salon were Ambrosiana’s Ferri Di Cavallo Shortbread with Dark Chocolate and Fior Di Neve Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Shortbread. When pressed for a favorite, we were told, “We really can’t choose… but if our hair depended on it, we’d say the shortbread Cavallo for dipping into coffee, and the hazelnut filled Fior di Neve for… 24/7.” Thank you Rosie Bella Hair Salon for letting us share our cookies with your customers!

Ambrosiana Ferri Di Cavallo Shortbread with Dark Chocolate.

Ambrosiana cookies on display at Rosie Bella Hair Salon.

Ambrosiana Fior Di Neve Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Shortbread.

I decided to pick up three different boxes of Ambrosiana cookies at Kingma’s Market in Ada. As always, I had my little handy taste testing helper along with me as I dove into the set of cookies. The three different kind of cookies that were tasted: Ferri Di Cavallo Shortbread with Dark Chocolate, Pralinati Hazelnut Cream Shortbread and Fior Di Neve Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Shortbread.

If you are looking for a cute little cookie to dip in coffee or tea, I suggest the Ambrosiana Ferri Di Cavallo Shortbread with Dark Chocolate. These cute little horseshoe-shaped cookies are the perfect bite size for a hot morning or afternoon beverage. Just enough chocolate to pair with the shortbread makes this cookie a tasty treat.

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If you are a fan of nuts, chocolate, hazelnut and shortbread, then the Ambrosiana Pralinati Hazelnut Cream Shortbread is for you. I think this was by far my favorite cookie of the three. I really like the creamy hazelnut center, plus having the chocolate covered shortbread with nuts gives it a nice little crunch!

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I think my youngest offspring had said that his favorite was the Ambrosiana Fior Di Neve Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Shortbread cookie. While I do have to admit the box shows more powdered sugar on the top of the cookie than what actually came from the box, it works well with young children! My youngest loved this cookie and kept asking for more! This cute shortbread cookie has hazelnut cream filling inside and then is coated by powdered sugar to top off a sweet little zing.

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So what are you waiting for? Go get yourself several boxes of these cookies, brew some coffee or steep some tea and get munching on these delicious treats! It’s time for YOU to get out there and NIBBLE on these cookies!

Springing Forward, But Falling Backward.

Has today’s title confused you? I truly don’t want to get you in a panic, but I am going to have to discuss some upcoming holidays for next year! I am talking about Valentine’s Day and Easter! I know, I know! We *just* made it through Halloween! Thanksgiving is not far away, heck it’s not even Christmas yet, although Christmas music is already blaring on a local radio station as of yesterday! The next major event happening around here would be Daylight Savings for those of us who observe it, which means we will have to fall back one hour this weekend.

Springing forward with holiday items, yet falling back an hour on the clocks!

Now that we have that out of the way… let me show you these spring products! Belfine is the maker of Fine Belgian Chocolate and they have these super cute chocolate pops and they all have super cute names! And while I am at it, I want to let any of our retailers know that the spring deadline is approaching! You know how to get a hold of us if you need any assistance with your order! You’ll find Belfine chocolate in the spring line up!

Let me first introduce you to Love Bear Arno, who is the perfect chocolate companion for your Valentine’s occasion! Per Belfine, “Each lollipop is individually wrapped in a transparent bag with clip and presented in a beautiful Belfine display.” Belfine’s chocolate figurines and lollipops are all hand crafted and it is really neat how they come to life.

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This is the process for the chocolate characters:

1. Start with a sketch
2. Add some color
3. Play with clay
4. Prepare the mold
5. Personalize the prototype
6. Welcome to the family!
7. Name and release

When the figurine is created, it is actually named and then copyrighted before venturing out into the world. How awesome is that?

Next up we have Jenny Duck and Lamb Betty for Easter. These Easter designs are sure to please everyone, young and old!

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What makes Belfine so unique and special?

• Premium Belgian Chocolate made in Belgium
• Unique & cute chocolate figurines
• Creativity & innovation
• Long term partnerships
• Highest quality standards
• Dedicated customer focus
• Worldwide presence
• Family owned business
• The perfect packaging
• Flexible production capacity

Belfine is definitely “kid approved” – as you have seen the smile on my youngest’s face as he’s chomping on poor Love Bear Arno! I even I heard, “Mom, this chocolate is so yummy!” from that little 4-year-old munchkin!

And as a mom, I can appreciate that there aren’t any ingredients in these chocolates that I don’t approve of! Belfine’s products are free from any artificial flavors, colors and fats. The chocolate also is free of preservatives, vegetables fats and GMO-free. As for the coloring in any of the chocolates, European standards require that only E-approved colors are used.

Belfine Belgian Chocolate Lollipops. Get yourself some! And as I wrap up this post, I’ll bring Mr. Ginger out to remind us of the Christmas season that is approaching. On that final note, don’t forget to fall back one hour this weekend for those of us observing Daylight Savings Time! (And submit your orders in for the spring deadline for our retailers!)

Too Much Treating? We Have a Solution!

Did you do too much treating and not enough tricking on Halloween? Is your tummy not feeling so hot from all the snacks, treats and candies you’ve been nibbling on since yesterday? A little treat from The Ginger People just may help you out! Try Gin Gins! These little zings of ginger power come in a hard and chewy form. They also come in a variety of different flavors. All of their products are made with real ginger.

Why would ginger candies be good for you?

For thousands of years, ginger has been used to…

• Relieve countless illnesses
• Restore vital energy
• Ease nausea, headaches & arthritis
• Stimulate circulation

– From The Ginger People website

The chewy candies are interesting! They get really ooey gooey, and try to just let them melt and meld into your mouth. Some of the different flavors include Spicy Apple, Super Strength Ginger, Peanut, Hot Coffee and Ginger Spice just to name a few. The hard candy may be a better choice for folks who have braces or other issues teeth issues, as the chewy candies really work their way around the teeth!

The Ginger People make sure that all of their products are premium, sustainable, contain no artificial of GM ingredients, organic, and all natural. Take a peek below to see what the candies actually look like.

 

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So when you are in need of something to help soothe what ails you, try going for Gin Gins ginger candy made by The Ginger People! Ginger, ginger!