Snacktime is the right time for Think Jerky®

If you know me at all you know I LOVE beef jerky. It's something I've enjoyed as a snack as long as I can remember. It's one of those snack foods that you can chew up all at once and enjoy for a short time, or you can let it sit in your mouth and enjoy the flavor longer. Speaking of enjoying the flavor longer, that's what I really like doing when eating Think Jerky®. It comes in very unique flavors that you really just want to enjoy and savor as long as you can. Of all the flavors in the Think Jerky® line I think the Thanksgiving was my favorite. It was a unique flavor combination of turkey, cranberry and herbs. I'm a really big fan of turkey jerky so may that's why I liked it so much, or maybe it was the flavor explosion that reminded me of Thanksgiving dinner. Either way I ate almost the entire bag all by myself in one sitting! The kids had to remind me to give them each a piece to try out too. Oops sorry I couldn't help myself. :-) As for the rest of the family they each had their favorites too. My husband liked the sriracha honey (he likes hot foods), my daughter liked the ginger orange, and my son said he liked the classic. I guess it worked out well because we all had a different favorite so we didn't fight over them. The classic was my runner up for favorite with it's original jerky flavor. My suggestion is go for the Jerky Sampler pack because then you get to try all of the flavors.

About:
Founder Ricky Hirsch was shocked to discover that most jerky products are pumped full of sugar,
so he set out to create a jerky that is both healthy and delicious. By partnering with some of the world’s best Chefs, consciously minimizing sugar and salt, and only using the healthiest ingredients, Ricky takes jerky from gas station food to health food. Think Jerky® only uses sustainably-raised 100% grass-fed beef or free-range turkey that have no added hormones or antibiotics. All of our ingredients are NON-GMO, gluten-free and paleo friendly.

Beef Jerky Flavors: Sriracha Honey Turkey, Classic, Sweet Chipotle, Thanksgiving Turkey, Ginger Orange.

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received monetary compensation or product(s) in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Hello Folios™, where have you been all my life?!

I'm sure you've heard, and probably even used the expression "where have you been all my life" a time or two in your life. I know I have, especially when I come across something I though should have always been a part of my life. This time that something is Folios™. Folios are lightly baked sheets of cheese that are made from your choice of Parmesan, Cheddar or Jarlsberg® cheese. Folios are a first of its kind cheese product made of all natural, part-skim cheese, that is carb and gluten free plus high in protein. That means for those of us that are trying to cut back (or in some cases cut out) carbs this is the perfect solution to replace tortilla shells and chips. By using Folios you can still enjoy your favorite wraps and dips without the guilt of added carbs. Of course if you're not trying to cut back on carbs they can also be used as a sheet of cheese inside of your tortilla shell. I already had some low-carb tortilla shells on hand so I opted to just use the Foilo as a perfect layer of cheese. I put my tortilla on a plate with the sheet of cheese on top and then microwaved it for about 30 seconds. Just look at the way it perfectly melted right on the tortilla covering just the right amount!

There are endless possibilities with Folios; from wraps, to chips, to a crispy cheese bowl, you name it! Or if you're like me you can use them as a nice big perfectly sized sheet of cheese!

Folios is available in three delicious flavors:  Parmesan Folios, taken from the authentic most famous cheese of Italy, with a nutty, fruity blast of flavor; Cheddar Folios, impart a  rich, Vermont buttery cheese taste and  Folios made with Jarlsberg cheese offer the classic mellow yet slightly nutty deliciousness  in every bite.

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received monetary compensation or product(s) in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Enjoy guilt-free marshmallows from Dandies

I don't know about you, but as soon as the cold weather starts settling in I start thinking about building a fire and drinking hot cocoa. It's actually become kind of a tradition in my house. When we get our first snow we sit out back around our big fire pit and roast marshmallows for s'mores and drink hot cocoa. I had always tried to limit how many s'mores we had and how many little marshmallows ended up in our cocoa because I didn't like all the sugar we were eating. That was until I was introduced to Dandies. Dandies are like marshmallows gone..well..good!

Dandies are made with all-natural ingredients and completely free of gelatin, artificial ingredients, and high fructose corn syrup. The products are produced in the company’s dedicated facility, which is free of dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree-nuts. Dandies marshmallows are also free of wheat, gluten and corn, 100% vegan, and certified kosher by the Chicago Rabbinical Council.

The best part is, these marshmallows are indistinguishable from their conventional counterparts. Dandies are air puffed, which gives them a traditional texture and flavor that melts and tastes just like the marshmallows we grew up with. Light, fluffy and kid-friendly, Dandies are perfect for roasting over a fire, making gooey summer s’mores, cooking up crisp rice treats, or putting the finishing touch on a loving cup of hot chocolate.

WOW - free of all those things we tend to worry about being in our foods, yet they are still just as tasty as an original marshmallow! And yes I can attest for that. The awesome part is they even have peppermint flavored marshmallows that are really good in cocoa! It's amazing how many kids these days have food allergies and can't enjoy something as simple as a marshmallow. But now thanks to Dandies they can.

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Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Finally a "Smart" pizza!

Have you ever had a pizza craving so bad you just gave in and ordered up a greasy pizza for dinner? Or maybe you keep frozen pizzas on hand for those "Oops I forgot to plan dinner" nights. I know I am personally guilty of both of those scenarios. And every time afterwards I find myself in deep regret. Finding a good for you pizza isn't the easiest task out there. At least that's what I believed until I was introduced to Smart Flour Foods and their line of frozen pizzas and pizza crust. Believe it or not even being gluten free they taste good! So far we've only tried a few of the frozen pizzas, but as soon as I remember to buy some pizza sauce I'm planning to make homemade pizza using their crusts I have in the freezer too. My kids love when we make pizzas at home because they can add whatever toppings they like to their part of the pizza. And this mamma likes it too because she can add all sorts of fresh veggies for a good for me pizza all around!

About:
Smart Flour Foods, a fast-growing and innovative food company, is revolutionizing the pizza category with an ancient-grain based frozen pizza lineup. Made with a clean ingredient deck and certified gluten free, Smart Flour Foods’ pizza is designed with a proprietary flour blend that contains sorghum, amaranth and teff. These powerful whole grains in the Non-GMO Project Verified crust give the pizza a delicious taste, classic texture, and enhanced nutritional profile. The result is an incredibly smart pizza!

Offering a better alternative to other frozen pizzas on the market, Smart Flour Foods’ pizza features real mozzarella and provolone cheese that is free of rGBH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) and is topped with hand-selected, uncured, vegetarian-fed meat that is free of antibiotics, nitrites and nitrates. In addition, thanks to its ancient grain ingredients, Smart Flour Foods’ pizza is higher in protein, vitamins and minerals than leading conventional and gluten-free pizza brands. The crusts themselves, which offer an amazing dual texture that bakes up crispy on the outside and offers a nice chew in the middle, are Non-GMO Project Verified, vegan, soy free, dairy free, and Kosher.

Smart Flour Foods frozen pizzas and crust can be found at select natural and specialty stores nationwide. The SRP for the pizza is $6.99 to $7.99, and the SRP for the crust, which comes two to a package, is $4.99 to $5.99. Visit www.smartflourfoods.com for more info.

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Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Boulder Canyon’s NEW gluten-free snacks

Do you or someone you know have to avoid gluten? If so (or even if not) I have some tasty snacks for you. They are from the Boulder Canyon line (which happens to be a favorite in our house) and let me tell you they are pretty darn good. I've always been a fan of crisps so when I heard Boulder Canyon was going to start carrying them I was pretty excited about trying them out. I can't quite decide though which is my favorite between the Snap Pea Crisps and the Lentil Carrot Quinoa Crisps.

Boulder Canyon Authentic Foods is introducing three new delicious gluten-free, snack crisps made with an array of wholesome ingredients, including lentils, peas, carrots, quinoa, amaranth and other ancient grains. The crisps are available in three varieties:

• Lentil Carrot Quinoa Crisps pair on-trend lentils with carrots and quinoa that is lightly seasoned with savory herbs. They are available in Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper and Balsamic Herb varieties.

• Snap Pea Crisps take a less-is-more approach by combining just a few ingredients, including real peas, rice, sorghum flour, sunflower oil and sea salt. In addition to the aforementioned Sea Salt variety, Boulder Snap Pea Crisps are available in a Creamy Ranch flavor.

• Ancient Grains Crisps combine quinoa, sorghum, millet, brown teff, amaranth and brown rice for the ultimate better-for-you snack. They are available in Roasted Red Salsa and Pink Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper varieties.

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Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

BFree Gluten-Free Breads

Gluten-Free products sure have come a long way, and in so many more varieties since they were first introduced to the market. I can remember when you had to hunt and search and there was usually just one small section (or few shelves) in a store for you to choose from. Now there are so many choices many times they are shelved right in the same isle with their counterparts. Which to me is nice because I want to be able to look in the bread isle for bread and so forth. Recently my family had the opportunity to try out some products from the BFree Gluten-Free bread family. Of course my kids were a little more hesitant than my husband and I were because of all the things they had heard about gluten-free foods being yucky and not tasting good. So this mom got creative and made some meals using the bread and just didn't both to tell them I substituted the BFree products for our usual brands. They did figure it out a few times, but with some of the products they had no idea. I think mostly it was the texture that tipped them off. The rolls definitely were different than what I usually gave them with meals. They weren't bad, just different because they didn't have the usual gluten in them for the fluffiness. I think the biggest thing really hinges on how you prepare them. Many alone probably wouldn't be the best, but if you turn the wrap shells into a tortilla filled with meat, cheese, and veggies it's a whole new game. You have to be creative and use them with other foods.

Enjoy Delicious Gluten- and Guilt-Free Indulgences with Simply Shari’s

Normally when I hear the words gluten-free I cringe up my nose and say "No Thank You" to the offer of a taste. But I'm slowly coming around because I've become more aware that gluten-free doesn't always mean it won't taste good too. Simply Shari’s gluten-free cookies are actually one of the foods that got me to start changing my way of thinking. I mean who would pass up the chance to try a cookie?! Right?! Well I sure didn't, and I'm glad I took the leap because these are actually really good. So good my son took off with a bag and at the entire thing himself without sharing. I guess I can't be too upset with him though because these are so much better for him then other cookies on the market. Of course I wasn't about to tell him that when he was devouring them. I just let him believe they were an every day cookie. Now it looks like I'll have a new sweet reward to stock up on though because now he's asking for more. And as a mom I'd rather him enjoy these for a treat than cookies filled with who knows what ingredients.

About:
Simply Shari’s gluten-free cookies are made of the finest and freshest ingredients you can trust and are packed with flavor and texture you can only imagine. Never before has a gluten-free shortbread cookie tasted so buttery! All of our products are made with real butter giving it chewy, moistness and superior taste.

Creator Shari Cole is a firm believer that using butter is important in baking. When a cookie is made of pure butter and combined with the perfect blend of gluten free flours, something magical occurs. Our shortbread cookies are simple yet have an amazing ability to satisfy.

Our ingredients are clean and GMO-free and we ensure every cookie turns out perfectly.  Simply Shari’s proudly displays the Celiac Sprue Association (CSA) Recognition Seal and the Certified Gluten-Free (GF) Seal that show our products are tested and certified gluten free — now many fatigued celiac and gluten sufferers have a tasty snack to nibble on.

The amazing Simply Shari’s cookies are available in plain, zesty lemon and aromatic almond. We also offer delicious chocolate chip cookies and fudge brownies that your entire family will crave. These wonderful treats are great with ice cream, afternoon tea and much more! Prices range from $4.99-$5.99.

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As good as scratch with Immaculate Baking

With the big holidays of the year coming upon us we are all getting busier as each day passes. At least that's how it seems for me. And as the weather changes and it becomes cooler outside I also get that baking bug. I like to make treats for my family and friends whenever I can, but when times running short it's hard to make them from scratch. I like knowing exactly what goes into my baked goods and know that there aren't any extras that aren't good for me or my friends and family. Thanks to the Immaculate Baking company I can now make those beloved treats and know that they are just as good as if I had made them from scratch myself.

Just in time for the busy holiday baking season, Immaculate Baking now offers eight new scratch mixes that marry convenience and great taste with simple and carefully selected ingredients - our scratch baking mixes include the same ingredients you would choose if baking from scratch.

All of Immaculate Baking’s convenient baking solutions are made without use of GMOs and have been enrolled for Non-GMO Project Verification. Currently, over half of Immaculate Baking’s products are Non-GMO Project Verified; Immaculate Baking anticipates its entire lineup will be Non-GMO Project Verified in the near future.

The first mix I tried from Immaculate Baking I tried was their Brownie Scratch Baking Mix. I have to say it was awesome. It was nice and chocolaty and moist, I really couldn't even tell it was from a box. I can't wait to try some more of the mixes and share them with everyone when we have family dinners on Sundays. The scratch baking mixes are in my opinion just as good as well...made from scratch!

What type of baking mix would you like to see from Immaculate Baking?