Tag: food

Food, Recipes

Burlap & Barrel Spices are Sourced from small farms

Erin Sluka

I just spent the last 2 days marinating and smoking some pork. I don’t typically smoke pork carnitas, but I knew if I gave it a try I could enhance those spices with a little Hickory and then give it a quick sear for those crunchy bits. The key has to be in the quality of spices. To me, quality depends on where the spices are sourced and the ingredients used. Here is how I spiced my pork and it was a hit!

  • Kosher Salt
  • Cracked Black Pepper
  • Brown Sugar
  • B&B Smoked Pimenton Paprika
  • B&B Toasted Onion Powder
  • B&B Pure Stripe Garlic and 
  • B&B Black Lime and Chili salt
  • Oregano

You will notice, I am a bit partial to my B&B Spices and this is because these are all sourced directly from small farms. These spices are aromatic and the flavors are just amazing. In working with small farms around the world, B&B has access to unique spices you just cannot find anywhere else in a standard US shop. With spices that are single origin, you always know exactly where they are traced back to. 

Back to the pork – I used the Costco packs of Roast and so it was 4 smaller roasts I smoke at 225 for about 5-6 hours or until they hit 165 degrees. Then I place it in a foil pan, pour some avocado oil on and add about 2 Bay Leaves per 2 roasts, cover with foil and back on a 350 degree smoker for a few hours until it hits about 200 degrees. Mine stopped at 203 degrees. I rest 1 hour still covered and shred. Then I heat up a skillet and get those nice crunchy ends in batches using the reserved liquids from the foil pan. It heats up very well back in the pan especially if you save some of the original juices. If you have never smoked your prok for tacos before, you are missing out! 

Natural Foods

Stur Natural Water Enhancers as Mixers

Erin Sluka

Whether you need to intake more water in your day or need a zero calorie mixer option, Stur Natural Water Enhancers are my new favorite choice. They have so many flavors, you can make great natural sodas and mocktails or cocktails. But, the many flavors options are only an added bonus to the ingredient label.

Stur does not add any sugars, just real fruit and stevia extracts. Stur is free of all artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners. I challenge you to compare the label of Stur enhancers to your other brands you may use. It was created to give you natural, only real ingredients. This makes your home sodas and cocktails contain a lot less calories and sugars.

The Blue & Blackberry Stur makes a fantastic Blackberry vodka. Just add ice to your glass, 1 oz of vodka and water. Add a squirt of Stur and stir. Garnish with blackberries for a complete look when serving to friends. You have added zero extra calories to your beverage!

Shop Stur on Amazon and find all varieties, including their electrolyte line of water enhancers.

Natural Foods

Congo Organic Dark Chocolate from Costa Rica

Erin Sluka
Congo Organic Dark Chocolate from Costa Rica

Congo Tropicals, a South Florida-based company brings tropical produce delivered from Central America to your door! Tis includes coffee and dark chocolate made in Costa Rica. There are many benefits of eating dark chocolate such as it might reduce the risk of heat disease, help raising HDL cholesterol and protecting your LDL levels and even managing stress. Making sure your dark chocolate is at least 70% dark and from a clean source (like organic cocoa beans) enhances these benefits.

organic dark chocolate

The Congo Tropicals Organic Dark Chocolate is made from the finest cacao beans in Costa Rica. It is a perfect balance of bitter and sweet in a delicious snack.

When you visit the Congo Tropicals website, you will find that you can even find fresh fruits such as plantains and dragon fruit that will arrive to you. Take a look and start planning a unique Valentines (or Galentines) meal!

Healthy Living, Natural Foods

Carbonate ANY cold beverage with Drinkmate instaFizz

Erin Sluka
Carbonate ANY cold beverage with Drinkmate instaFizz

Perhaps you have owned or at least seen the Drinkmate systems before. Most retailers carry flavor solutions because the original concept had you adding flavors to water and sparkling them. Now, Drinkmate instaFizz has a portable water bottle that carbonates any cold beverage from anywhere. Take it camping, to parties and to work. If you are craving carbonated drinks or want your cocktails to sparkle, the instaFizz is your portable beverage companion.

Choose your favorite color to tote around and bring your box of CO2 cartridges. They are just small cartridges that easily fit in a lunch bag and can be safely tossed away when done because they are single use size. You can also use the Drinkmate CO2 recycle buy back for those empty cartridges which is much better for the environment. Now you can carbonate any beverage.

It is as easy to use as twist, swirl and sip! The DrinkMate instaFizz can be used with water, juices, iced tea, coffee, energy drinks, wine, cocktails, and even flat soda. This is perfect to add a small amount of fizz on the go so you can get the fizz in drinks you wish rather than buying sugary sodas. You pick the ingredient and instaFizz does the work for you! You can rad more on the Drinkmate website or find the Drinkmate instaFizz at Amazon and other retailers.