Product Review: “Sweet Heat” Cookbook

Hey guys- coming to you today with a little review! A little over 2 months ago I received a copy of Sweet Heat: Cooking with Jenkins Jellies Hell Fire Pepper Jelly

By Hillary Danner and Maria Newman  

You may remember the first Review I did for them way back in August. (Go check it out for all the highlights! or visit http://jenkinsjellies.com for more info about the jellies themselves) I was a jelly hater turned lover  after trying their products- I had no idea that jelly could be a Spicy delicious condiment perfect for toping everything from tofu, eggs, veggies and grilled cheese!

So when I was asked if I wanted to try out and review the new cookbook- I was more than happy to oblige. 

I LOVE getting packages in the mail.. Its one of those small things in life that I will never tire of (You can keep the bills though) Upon cracking the binding of the book I came across a cute little message from the authors

(Well thanks ladies.. I think I will have Happy Hell Fire!) 

Turn a few more pages and you get a background of just who these wonderful ladies are and how the company got started- with a couple of super cute pictures to go along with the story. 

Then it’s time for the good stuff- the food! Appetizers, Sauces & Dips, Sides & Salads, Main Dishes, Desserts & Treats, Drinks, and More Sweet Heat Jellies (which features the other flavors of jellies in a handful or recipes) There is a little something for everyone- and in case you didn’t think some of the recipe titles intrigued you- there are amazing full color pictures with EACH recipe! I may have drooled on my book a bit.. Sorry girls :)

I marked all of the recipes that I wanted to try right away- Yes I want to try all of them.. but just like any other cookbook I’ve ever owned (Which believe me has been a lot!) I like to find the ones that not only stand out- but have the potential to “Spice” up ingredients that I use and eat all the time. 

But I had a little problem..

I had forgotten to purchase the jelly ahead of time- which meant I had to wait (almost two weeks mind you, the torture!) for a jar to come in since it is not yet sold in my state. (More on this later)

Finally, the jelly arrived and I decided on Roasted Brussels Sprouts straight away

Oh my! James and eat out fair share of brussels sprouts but this is by far one of my favorite ways to enjoy them. The combo of sweet and a little sticky with the spicy kick, over the slightly browned edges with make your mouth sing. (lucky for you this isn’t a Vlog)

Next up: Baked Sweet (Heat) Potatoes

For this recipe, the pepper jelly is mixed right in with the sour cream as the topping for your sweet potato with a few chopped nuts for some crunch. I thought this was a nice twist on an old favorite. You know.. Kind of like those sweet potato casseroles that you have during the holidays with the nuts and caramelized sweetness.. but with some sassafras! 

Some of my other favorites

-Creamy Dreamy Dip

The most addicting dip for veggies, crackers, or fingers you’ll ever taste.. Seriously- you can’t stop until it’s gone.. 

- Coleslaw for the Soul 

-Twice Baked Stuffed Potatoes

-White Hot Bianca Pizza 

-Pepper Jelly S'mores

There is a good amount of variety in the book. It’s contents highlight the quality and absolute versatility of the product- without over complicated or time consuming application. Most of the recipes are simple, quick and easy to prepare with minimal ingredients- which to me means your more likely to come back to use these recipes again and again. 

Also, throughout the book there are these fun little nuggets of info in “Did you know” boxes like this one “Chili peppers are addicting! Endorphins, our body’s natural painkillers, are released to combat the capsaicin-induced heat factor. This creates a feeling of well-being… and then we want more!”

And

“Peppers are part of the fruit family and not vegetable. They’re low in calories and packed with vitamin A to keep your eyes nice and healthy!” 

So, if your looking to add a little spice to your life.. Go Purchase your copy of Sweet Heat today! 

AND

Visit http://jenkinsjellies.com

_____________________________________________________________________________

There is just one thing that I didn’t love- Shipping cost of the Jellies themselves. The price of the Jellies are reasonable for the quality and contents, (All natural, mostly organic, completely delicious) however the shipping costs were astronomical.. I’m talking $12 for one jar to be shipped to my home- making the cost of the jellies $24 a jar. I’m not sure if this is the universal shipping cost or just because I live on the other side of the country? But it is a bummer! So here’s to crossed fingers and toes that this stuff becomes available in stores here in RI- Are you reading this WHOLEFOODS?! 

But seriously.. go grab some anyway- and a copy of the book...they really are worth it- I promise 

Thank You to Jenkins Jellies and the folks over at Crier Communications! 

*Disclaimer: Jenkins Jellies Provided me a copy of Sweet Heat, Cooking with Jenkins Jellies Hell Fire Pepper Jelly for free to sample and review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own*

A back story + Product Review: Vega Vibrancy Bars!

   A couple of summers ago I drove across the country (in my little two door Toyota Yaris) with a fellow Yogaslacker to Wanderlust (Wanderlust is a yoga and music festival) to teach slacklining

     Minus the glass of wine of course! We didn't get paid in cash, but were able to attend the concerts and classes and have a place to stay in exchange for teaching folks how to slackline.. Not a bad deal right?  ( Yogaslackers are a crazy bunch of extreme athletes that do everything from slacklining and acroyoga, to adventure races and everything in between..  ) We also took the unsuspecting students through conditioning

  and worked on our own tricks…

     It truly was an amazing time.. but I had very little money- most of which was used for gas… and we were on the road for 21 days.. We were literally living off protein bars, (Luna, raw revolution, Bonk Bars to name a few) and random meals that friendly folks offered up. Thank you friends!
 
     What I mean to say is, I know my protein bars! I ate so many of them that summer- I couldn’t eat another one for months. But the truth is.. I really love them.. Call me weird, but I dig the texture, taste and portability. A couple of months ago I was sent a sample of Vega Vibrancy Bars to review..

      An amazing sample! Boxes of all three flavors- Wholesome Original, Chocolate Decadence, and Berry Bliss. All three flavors are gluten free and both the original and berry flavors are dairy and soy free as well!  I’ve reviewed vega products before, so I had no doubt that these bars would be amazing.. and just like the protein powders the nutrition and ingredients were impeccable:

  Ingredients: Sprouted whole grain brown rice protein, inulin (from chicory root), dates, organic agave nectar, raw almonds, organic sprouted buckwheat, almond butter, dried apples, hemp seeds, Vega SaviSeed (sacha inchi) oil, white chia seeds, brown rice crisps, natural vanilla flavor, sea salt.
     

The goods  Awesome:

- I can pronounce every single ingredient

- You can actually see WHOLE chia seeds, almonds, berries, buckwheat.. etc

- The texture is dense and diverse- with crunchy and soft blending together well. Not sticky or similar to modeling clay like some bars! 

-Vegan and gluten free

- Not too sweet or overly flavored. 

- Not too calorically dense.. The perfect pre or post workout fuel and snack size.

- They never bothered my stomach and kept me satiated for hours! 

 The not so good:

   To be honest.. the only thing I can put in this column is price. Using quality ingredients comes at a cost for sure, we all know that.  These bars are almost $3 a piece. To be fair, any quality bars out there are in the same price range so I don’t hold it against them. 

         My favorite flavor is the Chocolate Decadence, but all three flavors are awesome and worth a try.

Thank you Vega and Katie at Crier Communications!!  

     

Vitalicious Vitatops- A Review

    I’ve learned something about myself, I love getting packages in the mail! Especially when it is something new for me to eat. I’m half Italian, I love food.. it really isn’t a shock to you I’m sure.. 

      I came home from the gym one morning, opened up my screen door and a huge box fell on top of me.. VitaTop me! Haha, get it? Vita-Top- right on top…  *cough* Moving on.. 

    I was expecting the samples but man- I wasn’t expecting this!

   There were VitaBrownies, VitaCakes and a bunch of different VitaTops- it was like an early Christmas!

   We have all seen 100 calorie packs of our favorite treats lining the shelves at the market and at first glance it seems like a good intentioned idea. Who doesn’t like Oreos, Chocolate chip cookies, or chips and crackers- for 100 calories at that.. too good to be true?  Flip that package over you’ll see that they are nothing more than cardboard and air flavored with artificial junk, lacking any sort of nutrition. I know your probably thinking.. If I wanted good nutrition I shouldn't eat one of these treats to begin with right?
   Yes… and No.. I’m a firm believer in balance and moderation. So do I think you should eat one of those cardboard oreo 100 calorie cookie packs? Nope..  For one thing, you could just eat the real cookie or make a healthier version on your favorite treat.. or.. have you could have VitaBrownie, VitaTop or VitaCake..  NOT your typical 100 calorie pack! 
     Here’s why:
-100 calories
-No artificial ingredients
-No preservatives
-Made with whole grains
-Filled with Fiber, Protein and 15 vitamins and minerals (Bet your cardboard Oreos don’t have that!)
-And the most important of all… they taste great!
 

Vitalicious products can be found in the freezer section of your market- I’ve even seen them at Target! When your ready to get your snack on, pull one out of the freezer and microwave or toast to thaw. You can also just allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.. But I don’t have a toaster or a microwave… and I’m about as patient as a 2 year old, so I improvised..

  The space heater works too just incase your wondering..

     Since I was given such a generous variety of flavors, I brought them to a girl’s night and did a little taste test!

(From top left to bottom: mini-cake(which is only 50 calories BTW!), brownie, triple chocolate, corn, apple crumb, double chocolate, chocolate mint, cranbran and banana chip) - I also received banana nut and Fudgy peanut butter chip which I ate right away lol.
   The girls loved them- and while my favorites are most definitely the VitaBrownie, Corn and Banana Nut.. everyone had their favorites- though we all agree that the brownies are amazing! And even better when warmed :)

…. No cardboard here! In all honesty, I was shocked at how well Vitalicious nailed the texture of a traditional muffin (which can clock in somewhere around 500 calories!) for 100 calories.  

 Head over to http://www.vitalicious.com to purchase and for more info. Or grab a box the next time your shopping and give them a try for yourself! (I’d say get those brownies!)

A big thanks to Vitalicious and to the girls at Crier Communications- Danielle and Katie for sending these samples my way!

 
***Please note that these opinions are my own, and are 100% honest and truthful. I was not compensated for this review, but did receive the product at no cost to me. 

Product Review: Jenkins Jellies

   A couple months ago, the generous folks over at Jenkins Jellies sent me their collection of pepper jellies to review.

    - Passion Fire, Hell Fire, Fiery Figs, and Guava Brava. Each full sized jar came with its own little spoon to stir… Along with it came a handwritten note (Seriously could they be any cuter?), a recipe idea card (which was super helpful because I had no idea what to do with the stuff) and a little back story about how they got started.   

    Hillary Danner and Maria Newman are the masterminds behind these amazing jellies, and when I say they are AMAZING I’m not exaggerating.. keep in mind I don’t even like jelly.. I’m serious- I was the kid who ate PB+ Fluff or PB+ Butter to avoid the stuff. But a girl has to grow up sometime right? :) 

    

These Jellies are made

-With their "blend of 7 fresh peppers to create a complex but balanced sweet and spicy taste sensation"

-Without Artificial ingredients or preservatives 

-Gluten Free and Vegan

-AND come in recyclable packaging

    All awesome right? RIGHT! 

     So lets get down to business, EATING! I went with some of the recommendations on this one..  First, I glazed tofu, chicken-less cutlets, and on chicken for James and friends. Pan cooked or grilled, the Jellies coated extremely well, giving a sticky caramelized glaze without being too sweet. I just spoon a dollop on top near the end of cooking, spread it around and cook a few more minutes.. and enjoy! I especially LOVED how much flavor it gave the tofu without any prep at all. Most of the time tofu needs a good couple of hours for a marinade to give it any flavor, so this was a huge time saver, especially on nights I teach and or making dinner post workout. 

    Secondly, mixed with cream cheese. I made it for the first time at James’ party and it was a HUGE hit.. Both James and I were sneaking scoops when I made it the night before.. and pretty much licking the food processor bowl clean. And it was seriously the first thing to go the night of the party. I didn’t measure anything, just used two packages of cream cheese and put spoonfuls of the jelly in, mixing as I went until I thought it was spicy enough. I think I used more than half the jar, I told you I like spicy!

I served it with all kinds of crackers, tortilla chips, and with veggies. Delicious! For weeks after the party, our friends requested it BTW- Epic I tell ya :)

    I also used it in our stir fried veggies and again, it was delicious. 

We had it on grilled cheese, burgers, sandwiches, and even as it is on potato chips. The options are endless! I would have never thought that something that was so foreign to me would have been so useful and versatile, but it is!
   I always found the balance between the spicy and sweet to be right on point. The jellies do have a little bit of a kick, but it was never over powering or too much to handle, and seemed to mellow a bit (for those who are sensitive to heat) with cooking or when mixing it with cream cheese or other cheeses. More importantly, they have just the right amount of sweetness.
    What I’m trying to say is that this stuff lives up to the hype.. every single person that tried the stuff I made with the jellies, really loved it. More importantly, I the jelly hater, am converted!

   Go check them out at www.jenkinsjellies.com!

A big THANK YOU to Hillary and Maria! 

***Please note that these opinions are my own, and are 100% honest and truthful. I was not compensated for this review, but did receive the product at no cost to me. 

Excuse + Workouts+ Foods

  Whoa- in case you didn’t notice I haven’t posted in over a week..  The boys are not impressed. 

 I’m sure your not either. Well I promise I haven’t forgot about you guys and I feel like a total jerk for leaving you hanging (since I know you all wait by the computer for my posts to show, haha.) Sorry, I’ll do better I promise!
   The real story is that I’ve been planning a party for the husband who turns the big 32 tomorrow! Yeah in Coco fashion I left everything to the last minute and have been running around like crazy trying to get everything done.. In any amount of down time I’ve had… I’ve been sucked into 50 Shades of Grey and now 50 Shade Darker- what can I say, I’m a follower (or my friend sent them to me for free and I had to see what the fuss was about- fact) I’m a fan, Period.
   So now I’m going to catch ya up- half-assed of course..

 
Some work outs

     Including multiple days of different ZWOWS from ZuzkaLight- I love her workouts and they have really been fitting into my schedule.. I mean who doesn’t have 15 minutes to spare?! Of course there has been some swimming too.. but not as much. I’ve been trying to “take it easy” since my back has been pissed off.. I did get to swim practice on Tuesday and managed to swim 1000 today before my goggles snapped- Thankfully I have new ones coming in the mail so I won’t be without the water for too long.
    Randoms:

      Yeah I’m a sweaty beast after only 12 minutes..
 
Oh yeah- I even got my cars windshield fixed!

   My lilies FINALLY popped, and it was totally work the wait :)

    These stand above my eye level and the stem is at least 11/2 inches in diameter.. I think they dig that spot

 Over this past weekend our amazing friends invited us to their families beach house in Maine. We have  had the pleasure of staying there in the past and it is always amazing.. Such a great group of people with the best views-

    I didn’t really take many pictures though! Oops :)

   And of course there is food- I was generously given samples of Jenkins Jellies pepper Jellies and have been using it on veggies, tofu and Quorn chix cutlets OMG.. So good (Full review coming when I try all the of varieties)

  Little bitty baby grape :)

  Wine and Sopranos= love

    (Don’t mind the taste tester divot- I couldn’t help myself… Cream Cheese and Hell Fire Pepper jelly for crackers)

   

So good!

Vega Smoothie Review

     When the nice people at Vega offered me a chance to review their new Energizing smoothies I was PUMPED! 

You all know how much I LOVE protein powders- I use them at least once, if not twice a day. Thankfully it only took a few days for these babies to come in, and as soon as they did I ripped right into one! 

       OK- really I had one a day until they were gone! But before we get into my opinions, check out the stellar nutritional stats:

Choc-a-lot

Tropical Tango

       There is a method to my label reading madness- I’ve done it for years out of necessity in my vegan days, searching for animal products, and now just to make sure that there isn’t a bunch of crap in whatever it is I’m going to eat.    

     First thing I noticed right out of the gate was the small ingredient list. I can pronounce and even SPELL everything that goes into this product, which means I’m a happy girl! Beyond that I check the calories, fat, protein and sugar. For around 100 calories (each flavor varies sightly) I’m getting 10g of protein, with the fats and sugars around 1-2g a piece- In addition, I’m also getting 2 full servings of veggies, fiber, omegas, oh my! All of that is fine and great, but taste and texture is a huge part of the “Love a product so much that I buy it over and over” equation. 

     

       So here’s my thoughts-

    Across the board texture was smooth; they really mixed easily and didn’t have that chalky protein powder taste or texture. (I mixed all of them with water and a splash of milk and berries like I normally do.) 

     I’m HIGHLY recommending Choc-a-lot, Vanilla Almondilla, and Oh Natural. I will ABSOLUTELY be purchasing one of these in the very near future! All 3 of these flavors are brilliant so choosing just one at a time will be a challenge! I especially loved the Vanilla Almondilla for it’s uniqueness (at least in the protein world- it reminded me of almond biscotti!) 

   Personally I didn’t care for the Tropical Tango or the Bodacious Berry. I found the aftertaste that Stevia sometimes has really came through with these two, almost to a sickening degree. Keep in mind that I wouldn’t normally buy a protein in either one of these flavors to begin with because it’s just really not my thing. But looking back, I should have mixed these two with OJ, I think it would have been much better. 

     OVERALL- I think this is a great product and it totally passes the “Love the product, must buy over and over again” test! :)

 Thank you to Vega for sending samples!