Hot Foods For Cold Days

 The temps are freezing in most parts of the country and the world right now.There's nothing like a spicy Mexican hot chocolate or a Berber spiced laced Ethiopian stew to warm the blood right now. These drinks and food are perfect for starving off that chill feeling.

Here s the question - what fiery foods or drinks do you like to heat up? Is it Szechuan cuisine, rifw with zingy pink peppercorns? A five alarm chili? Jalapeno poppers? To me nothing says fire and spice than a chili (a two alarm in my case. I can't handle a five a alarm spice fire). Of course ti has to have a good bed of rice or crumbled cornbread underneath to absorb some of that zest.

What is your body warmer? Let us know . 

Tasty Treats For Trips And School.

 Everyone needs a boost during those long vacation trips. This is where Unite protein bars come in handy. They are perfect for those hours spent on the roadThey';ll be great for  school as well. 

These are my go to during those long trips to the  New Jersey shore. what I like is that tall the bars have no artificial ingredients The founder Clara Paye, has insisted the base be nit butters as opposed to a base of nit butters..

The flavors are unique, reflecting the country's diverse ethnic population.There is the mellow tasting bubble, tea, the spicy churro, the kid favorite peanut butter and jelly, the exotic baklava and my favorite Mexican hot chocolate. This is delicious with a kick of spice . It's like a chocolate bar but a good for you one. These are perfect add ins to any lunch box. Get plenty of peanut butter and jelly and churro for the year ahead.

UNite Bars are united in giving us a healthy snack when we need it. Pack a few for your upcoming trip. add them to the lunch menu for the new school year. They are perfect bites for anywhere and any time.

A Half Priced Valentine's Day

 Prices have gone crazy and that may impact your Valentine's Day. What to do? Create a warm cozy meal for pennies.There's no fancy restaurant,s no dressing up. Just the two of you ,cozied up, with good food at a good price.

One fo these places is Lidl. I can't say enough about having a good meal - ones' that easy to make and easy t eat.I recently discovered their El Tequito  Avocado fritters. tehse are avocado fries that can be air fried in less than twenty minutes.

These were fin, little fries that were  crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

They paired well with Lidl's vegan chili which as pant based beef crunbles.

Again this is the same as their pizza (ano9ther yummy Valentine's Day choice).it has everythign under the sun in in from beans and corn.

This was perfect with the avocado fritters and would make a perfect dinner for two. Add Corona beef followed by a dessert of spicy Mexican hot cocoa spiked with Kahlua and topped with whipped cream. You can also go to Aldi and buy theri vegetables at a much lower price than the average grocery store Whip up a delicious ratatouille.serve with French bread and a good French red. Buy meringues from Lidl  Acme , Stop and Shopfor a sweet, Gallic ending along with homemade truffles if you have the time to make them.

Don't btreak the bank this Valentine's Day . Create a tasty and easy dinner for two.You can still have a romantic evning but for much less.

Protein Bars With A Flavor Kick

Protein bars can either taste too crunchy granola or like twigs. Not so with Unite, a new company out of Yorba Linda, California, They've come up with three flavors that's sure to make everyone happy. There's  PB &Jelly, Churros and Mexican Hot Chocolate. They are unusual too, in the sense that they're the world's first globally inspired flavors. Another unusual aspect? The main ingredients are dates, hemp seeds , nut butters and probiotic fibers, great for your gut.

How are the flavors? The best is the Mexican Hot Chocolate which has a layer of dark chocolate on the bottom.It has cinnamon too and the unexpected kick of hot chili. The Churro flavor has almonds and sweet vanilla with a dusting of cinnamon on top, exactly like the fried doughy treats.

The peanut butter has creamy peanut butter and little gobs of strawberry jam. All three are interesting, a bit intense for my taste but kids should love them. They're also moister than the average granola bar, and very chewy. thanks to the main ingredient being dates. The bars can be the perfect snack for backyard picnics and soccer games.The Churro and Mexican Hot Chocolate are only 190 calories a bar while the PB & Jelly is just 180 calories. There's no trans fat or cholesterol, so they're even good for adults watching their weight or trying to lose weight from being cooped up;

 A different spin would be cutting them up in small chunks and mixing them with either vanilla, chocolate or strawberry ice cream.

Try Unite's globally inspired protein bars. Have the PB & Jelly for a snack and Churro or Mexican Hot Chocolate for a different kind of dessert. They're a nice change up from the usual protein bars.