Food, Travel

Snack Foods You’ll Want to Take Camping

I have partnered with the following brands for feature

Snack Foods You'll Want to Take Camping

We bought a new Toy Hauler last year and we love taking weekend camping trips here in the Pacific Northwest. I pretty much have packing and food prep down to a science, but when we first started RV camping it took some research and planning to make sure I packed everything we need and minimize store trips into towns. The first weekend of new RV owners we took it to a very local campground for a weekend as a trial and learn what we were missing.

Our first weekend out I realized some of the things I wish we had were cleaning wipes (boys and toilets in tight spaces), smaller kitchen garbage bags and more snack variety. The snack thing was tough because with boys and us we sort of got bored with our options by day 2 and found ourselves overspending a tiny grocer near camp so we can find some different snack ideas. I am always prepared with some guilt-free snacking options.

Here a few favorites I have stashed aside for our Memorial weekend RV trip. My son LOVES Snikiddy’s Grilled Cheese Puffs. We actually leave on his real birthday (Friday the 25th) so I geared a lot of snacks for him and the friend he is bringing along. He also loves Bare Snacks in his lunches at school and I have the apple packs packed in the RV.

My husband is a Jerky loves so he has some Country Archer Jerky packed. We just tried the honey chipotle flavor and I was a bit skeptical trying it but I like it. Not too much of a heat kick and still addicting.

My personal favorite is PopCorners. I love all of their flavors and having the Kettle Corn flavor is the most snack dangerous for me. I cannot stop eating them. Of course, I love a good potato chip when we grill hot dogs. To me, you can’t eat hot dogs when there are no potato chips handy and I feel much better munching on the Good Health Avocado Oil chips as opposed to those cooked or fried in unhealthy oils. I use avocado oils to cook with so these are the chips I choose.

We also need grab and go snacks for by the lake or polls on site and the Enjoy Life Grain & Seed bars make a great snack. They love the chocolate marshmallow flavor best! When you pack snacks, remember you will be eating more than an average weekend at home. It just always works out that way so make sure the snacks you choose are on the better side of ingredients and oils. It makes you feel a lot less guilty in the end after a weekend of food and fun!

Food, Healthy Living

New Clear Protein Drink by Premier Protein

I have partnered with Premier Protein via TapInfluence for this feature. All opinions are my own

New Clear Protein Drink by Premier Protein

I am a Mom and Bonus Mom to a total of 3 boys. Our son is 9 and like his older brothers, is heading into the tween years. Help me! We have been through it twice already but with a coparenting situation so this time we are 100% responsible for how this son gets through it. I recently bought a book a friend recommended that I am reading with my son and it is all about is his changing body and emotions. We just read the chapter on nutrition where it really stresses to stay away from sugary sports drinks and drink more water. My son (and myself) are not good water drinkers.

So I made him a deal. We would measure out a healthy amount of daily water and both of us will work together to drink more water. He does sports year round and I am busy and always on the go so we both need healthy hydration. I do allow his water drinks to include a natural flavor added-cucumbers or lemons added to make it more enjoyable and I have added a bottle of Premier Protein Clear Protein drink to my daily beverage consumption.

Premier Protein Clear Protein drinks are only 90 calories and offer 20 grams of much needed protein for me. There is 0 grams of sugar and no fat, soy, gluten or artificial flavors. I need that boost and protein gives my muscles that lift it needs to help me out whether I am hauling groceries, walking the puppy and even getting a meal prepped and packing lunch at the same time.

With a protein water I don’t have to mix anything, get the blender out. No extra dishes to wash. I can just grab a bottle and go. Clear Protein drinks can be found at Sam’s Club stores nationwide so make sure you pick up your daily helper in the form of protein water by Premier Protein on your next trip in.

Make sure the protein products you consume offer the best ingredients like Premier Protein. Other brands out there may contain artificial ingredients and synthetic nutrients so you really want to do your homework and choose wisely. I have been a regular consumer of Premier Protein for years. The water is so much appreciated and I am so glad I have another protein option I can consume.

Want more food topics? Visit our 2020 Fall Foodie Series!

Food, Natural Foods, Recipes, Uncategorized

Veggie Pasta and Sausage Recipe for Dinner

I have partnered with Spice Islands for this feature. Recipe is my own

Veggie Pasta and Sausage Recipe for Dinner

Spices are a cooks best friend. Right? Can you imagine a kitchen that had no spices or salts? I can’t and because grinding and sourcing what is needed to create spices in nearly impossible inside the average home we rely on brands like Spice Islands to bottle it up for us.

Spice Islands buys many spices whole and then mills them in their facility to release the rich flavors so we can enjoy them right from the bottle. For 75 years, Spice Islands offers many spices sourced from around the world. With Valentine’s approaching, homemade dinners are romantic and can make for a great night full of sentimental memories.

We are eating a low carb diet so we have eliminated most pastas, rices and breads. I have been trying many healthier food options like these in my recipes. Our nearest health store and even common grocers offer veggie pastas which add that extra dose of nutrients to its pasta and many are less carbs than standard enriched pasta. Here is an easy favorite in our home using Spice Island’s Poultry Seasoning.

 

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Do you know what some of the most widely used and popular spices are from around the world? Some of them are dill weed, bay leaves, cumin, garlic powder, saigon cinnamon and tumeric.

Enjoy many recipes at Spice Islands website like these Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes they have featured!

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Yield: 18 mini cheesecakes

 

18        paper baking cups (2 1/2 inch diameter)

18        gingersnap cookies

12        ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4       cup sugar

1          tablespoon corn starch

1          teaspoon Spice Islands Pumpkin Pie Spice

2          eggs

1          cup canned pumpkin

1/3       cup light corn syrup

Heat oven to 325 F. Line muffin tin with paper baking cups. Place 1 cookie in each cup.

With electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, corn starch and pumpkin pie spice. Add eggs and mix well. Add pumpkin and corn syrup; beat 1 minute.

Pour filling into liners, dividing evenly. Bake 30-35 minutes until just set.

Chill 1 hour.

For more recipes, visit SpiceIslands.com

Food, Recipes

Pressure Cooker Recipe – Chicken Mexican Soup

Pressure Cooker Recipe - Chicken Mexican Soup

Pressure Cooker Recipe – Chicken Mexican Soup

Let me start by saying that when you take a spoonful of this soup it is so full of flavor you can just skip the extra carbs in toppings. I love topping chilis and soups like this, but I found myself not craving a bit of cheese or sour cream making this a very low carb soup in 30 minutes!

Soup Recipe

Loaded with nothing but beans, veggies, chicken and low-sodium broth it was a hit in my home. I looked over several recipes online and every one I saw included some sort of ingredient I didn’t have so I opened my pantry and started throwing things into a pot and magic was made. More recipes like this HERE!

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Instant Pot Recipe - Mexican Chicken Soup

What did I use to make this recipe a success?

Pressure Cooker Recipe - Chicken Mexican Soup