Are YOU Getting Enough Fibre? Try New Fibre 1 Almond & Cluster Delight! #Fibre1ACD

As a Mom, I worry.  About a lot of things...

• Did I pack enough food in the kids lunches?  
• Are they even going to eat their lunches? 
• Is that sniffle turning into a cold? 
• Did I put enough sunscreen on the kids?  
• Are the meals I am preparing balanced and are we eating our rainbow and our food guide recommendations? 

The list goes on and on.  I spend a lot of time worrying about everyone else, that I often forget about myself.  I have been diligently trying to change that - to take better care of myself, because if I don't do it, no one else will...and if I am not around, who will worry about my kids?! :-)  So, I have been making changes.  Getting away from my desk during the day (joined the lunch hour bocce league at my day job), making sure that I pack a good variety of food in my own lunch, and making sure that I consume more than coffee for breakfast.  

Enter Fibre 1 Almond & Cluster Delight...a delicious new cereal from General Mills.  I was sent a box to try, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it is.  Usually I find 'fibre' cereals boring and bland, but the addition of the almonds and the clusters add just enough extra texture and a bit of sweetness to make the cereal satisfying.  And the cereal is full of fibre, which we all know we should all be getting more of (40% of your daily recommended intake in one bowl!).  Double bonus for me...my hubby is allergic to almonds, so I get the cereal all to myself!  Tee hee! (Actually, it is too bad that he can`t eat the cereal, minus the almonds, I think he would enjoy the cereal too!).

Guess what?  Our friends at General Mills are giving YOU the opportunity to try the new Fibre 1 Almond & Cluster Delight Cereal too!  You will want to keep a close eye on Facebook's Life Made Delicious page...until June 25, there are FPC's there so that YOU too can try this cereal for FREE! (while supplies last)  

Now that is DELICIOUS!


Disclosure - I am participating in the Fibre 1 Almond & Cluster Delight Cereal blogger campaign by Mom Central Canada on behalf of General Mills.  I received compensation as a thank you for participating and sharing my honest opinion.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

Bocconcini Salad with Tre Stelle

I am a huge cheese fan.  I could eat cheese every day.  And often, I do.  I enjoy all kinds of cheese - cheddar cheese, goat cheese, havarti...you get the idea!  I love trying new cheeses, and recently we were given the opportunity to try Tre Stelle cheeses.  As always, excited to try new things, and to find a new recipe, I did a little searching and found a salad recipe that I thought

might work with our dinner.  Here is the recipe:

Bocconcini Salad (Source: Food Network)

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 200 g container Tre Stelle bocconcini (I used the mini-mini)
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

In a bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, basil and garlic.  Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper (to taste).  Serve, and enjoy!

VERDICT:

This was the perfect compliment to our BBQ – such a nice, light treat with the fresh bocconcini, the fresh tomatoes, the fresh basil..oh my!  Our 6 year old "downed" his salad before he touched anything else on his plate - a true compliment!  I look forward to making this one again!

Be sure to check out all the great Tre Stelle products and...RECIPES over at the Tre Stelle website, and on Facebook too! (great contests currently running on Facebook!)

Disclosure - I received product in exchange for my honest opinion.  The views expressed in this post are solely my own.

Downy Unstopables!

Hello to my Canadian friends!

I have been given the opportunity to share with you...a FREE full-sized sample of the new Downy Unstopables scent...SPRING!

In the comment section below, please leave your email address and let me know what province you live in...I will contact the first 8 of you who sign up to send along the information for you to get your free sample!

This freebie is only open to Canadian friends. If you have already claimed your free sample from another friend/blogger, please let someone else claim this one.  Thanks!

Enjoy!

Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #65

Hello friends, I sure hope this Sunday morning finds you happy and healthy!  How has your weekend been?  Mine has been great - the weather has been awesome, I got to play with my kids, play in the garden, have a date with my hubby...life is good!  Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting some local ranchers, and this morning we are off to support some friends who's daughter has Juvenile Arthritis at the local Walk to Fight Arthritis.

Without further delay, Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #65 is now LIVE! I would love for you to come and share your recipes!

Thanks so much, and have a great rest of your weekend!

#LoveCDNBeef - Meet the Ranchers!

Today I had the pleasure of meeting a really neat family - Doug and Erika Fossen from the Fossen Ranch in Rock Creek, BC.  They are ranchers, they raise cattle (Hereford and Black Angus) as well as grow oats, peas, barley, triticale, and alfalfa.  The cattle they raise is the beef we purchase from our local Save On Foods.  They live just over an hour from me.  Until today, I didn't know that the beef I purchase at my grocery store comes from local ranchers.  All 5 of this generation of Fossen's (Dad, Mom and three daughters) were visiting our grocery store so that we, their customers, could meet the people who raise the cattle that become our food.

In my visit with them, I learned a LOT.  Doug told me that he and Erika purchased the ranch from his parents, who still live on the property.  He shared with me the Canadian Beef Merchandising Guide, which is something I've been NEEDING for a long time.  I'm always feeling lost when I'm at the grocery store, standing in front of the meat display.  "Which cut is better?  Which one should I get?  Ack!"  Now I have a great one-page resource showing all the cuts of meat, explaining the grading, and more.  I know, all this can be found online, but part of me is still pretty traditional, and I like that tangible chart in hand (without having to zoom in on the image on my phone).  I'll be posting it in my kitchen for quick reference!



Erika loaded me up with...you guessed it...RECIPES!  If only she knew how much I love recipes.  And while we've been on a kick with our latest favourite flavour for roast  - Rosemary and Pepper Crusted Roast - you know me, I'm always looking for new recipes to try!  Guess what I'll be doing after the kids go to bed...reading over those recipes and making meal plans!

Doug also shared with me a photo book of their ranch and family.  What a stunning area that they live in.  I think the Fossens were a little surprised to hear that I am familiar with Rock Creek - but my family has deep roots in the area.  I don't get there as much anymore as most of my family in the area have moved away or passed on, so I always forget how pretty the mountains and valleys can be there.  I also loved seeing and hearing that their three daughters help on the ranch - what a great way to carry on their family legacy!

I also discovered that Erika blogs too...if you are interested in learning more about life on a cattle ranch...check her out here!  Thank you Fossens, it was great to meet you!  Keep up the great work!

Strawberry Basil Muffins

It's that time of year, when the strawberries are appearing at great prices in the supermarket, and the herbs are growing!  We have an abundance of basil these days, and while our oldest likes to eat it straight (aka freshly picked), I prefer to incorporate basil into my cooking.  I've never put basil into any baking, but felt the need to do so this week.  I knew that strawberries and basil are friends, so I thought I'd like to try the two together in a muffin.  A little internet searching and I came across this recipe, which I modified and updated slightly.  Here is my version:

Strawberry Basil Muffins

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla


1 1/4 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat eggs, add in the melted butter, yogurt and vanilla.

Combine the dry ingredients, add to the wet ingredients.  Stir just to combine.  

Mix in the strawberries and basil, again, stir just to combine.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins (I use paper liners).

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or the muffins start to brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

VERDICT:
Another hit with my boys!  Next time, I might just add in a little more basil just to see how the flavour changes.  

Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #64

Hello friends, Happy Sunday to you!

Scrumptious Sunday is back!  YAY!  I've been on a bit of a hiatus, it's May Madness round here...but June is upon us and that means SUMMER and all the good times that go with it!

I missed not hosting the party last week...so I am very much looking towards the inspiration that you will provide this week!

Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #64 is up and running, I sure hope you will come by and share your recipes!