Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark

Are you snowbound and looking for something to do? Why not make some easy, homemade Holiday Bark, made from antioxidant rich dark chocolate and show your family, friends, teachers, babysitters and bus drivers how much you appreciate them this season. Bark making has become an annual tradition in my house for the past ten years, mainly because it is so simple, quick and adds a nice personal touch to gift giving. Follow the recipe below to make your own holiday bark and use a pretty tin or gift bag to wrap your homemade creations, keeping some on your kitchen counter so you're prepared for reciprocating with those spontaneous, last minute gift givers!

Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark

12 ounces Hershey Special Dark Chocolate morsels

3/4 C chopped, toasted pecans

3/4 C dried cherries or craisins

Melt chocolate in microwave in large glass measuring cup for 1 minute and stir. Microwave for 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating until chips are melted and smooth when stirred. Mix in half of the pecans and half of the cherries to the melted chocolate and stir. Spread mixture onto a tray lined with wax paper, using a spatula to spread it out, careful not to make it too thin. Sprinkle remaining pecans and cherries onto chocolate, using spatula to press into the chocolate. Put tray of bark into freezer to harden for at least an hour and then peel from wax paper and break into large pieces. Enjoy!

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays!

Boost Your Immune System With Tulsi Tea

'Tis the season - you're running around getting everything ready for the holidays, feeling stressed out, making sure you find the perfect gift for Aunt Sally, rushing to your kid's school for the Holiday sing-along, trying to do thirty more minutes on the treadmill so you can indulge at your company party tonight....the list goes on. Add to that long list to remember to grab a few extra boxes of tissues at the store as you feel like you're coming down with something.

It's a crazy time of year, but if you can find ten minutes to take a break and slow down with a nice hot cup of tea you may find that your to-do list doesn't seem that long and that cold might be going away after all. Relax with some Tulsi tea, also known as Holy Basil tea, that has been referred to as the "elixir of life" because of its amazing health benefits. Studies show that Tulsi tea improves your body's ability to fight viruses, helps your body cope with stress, aids in lowering cholesterol and helps to maintain normal bood sugar levels.

Check out Organic India's line of Tulsi tea that comes in eighteen different all natural flavors - I am partial to the Red Mango variety, myself. You can find this tea at most grocery stores, health food stores and at http://www.organicindia.com. So, take a few minutes for yourself, in the midst of the madness and sit down with some Tulsi tea - your body will thank you! Image credit to http://organicindia.com.

Love in the Kitchen Latkas

If you're longing for a latka just like Bubbie used to make, look no further than this fabulous recipe by fellow blogger, Certified Nutritionist and Holistic Lifestyle Consultant, Meghan Telpner. Meghan's "baked not fried" version uses sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, thus amping up the health content of the traditional latka, lowering the glycemic index and increasing the fiber all in one fell swoop! Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Solstice, these super easy to make, " Love in the Kitchen Latkas" are sure to make your holiday extra special. Go to http://www.meghantelpnerblog.com/ to view the recipe. Photo credit to http://www.meghantelpnerblog.com.

Hop on the Holiday Trolley

Holiday Trolley 12/5 Hop on the Northborough Holiday Trolley and get in the Christmas spirit! The trolley will be making stops at local shops from 11:30 am until 5:30 pm on Saturday, December 5th. Enjoy special discounts and complimentary snacks and beverages at certain locations. Be sure to stop at the Times Square Plaza (where Romaine's Restaurant is located) and come visit me! I'll be serving up my homemade Sugar Free Spiced Pecans, refreshing drinks and quick and delicious recipes to make your meals meaningful. In case you won't be able to make this festive event, here's the Sugar Free Spiced Pecan recipe so you can make it at home. It's a quick, easy and delicious snack recipe that would make a great stocking stuffer, teacher gift or perfect nibble to serve at your next party - and it won't spike your blood sugar because it's made with the all natural sweetener, xylitol, which is made from birch trees.

Sugar Free Spiced Pecans

1/2 C xylitol (all natural sweetener made from Birch trees)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 C water

2 C pecan halves

Combine all ingredients, except pecans, in a glass bowl or large glass measuring cup. Cover bowl with wax paper and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir and microwave again for 30 seconds. Add pecans, stir well, and microwave 30 seconds more. Spread the coated pecans on wax paper and seperate with 2 forks. Cool completely. Store in a closed container in pantry.

The Power of the Pulse

Sometimes I just want to immerse myself and my entire family in hand sanitizer, especially during this nasty cold and flu season. Since a Purell bath is pretty much out of the question, here's the next best thing - nasal irrigation. Kinda like a Waterpik for the nose, this electronic device delivers a gentle, pulsating stream of saline solution directly into nasal passages to moisturize and flush out mucous, helping to shorten the duration of colds and infections. This easy to use unit can also be a great preventative step if you feel you've been exposed to some unwanted germs - just plug it in, mix the saline packet with warm water and you are good to go. Takes less than five minutes from start to finish and much easier and more effective than a traditional neti pot. Ok - I know, this all sounds a little weird and slightly gross, but this little piece of equipment has saved myself and my family from countless unwanted infections and shortened the duration of those we caught. I added this to my natural remedy arsenal a few years ago, based on an endorsement from a top Harvard Natural Medicine doctor. I even got my kids to particpate at a young age and now when they are stuffy, they actually ask for the irrigator! So, whether you suffer from chronic allergies, have a full blown cold or just realized that hot date you smooched last night now has the flu, you may want to look into the power of the pulse. All image credit http://www.hydromedonline.com/.

Northborough's own food network star - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News

Northborough's own food network star - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News

Posted using ShareThis

Serious Snacking For Your Booty

Ok, you've disposed of all the lingering trick or treat booty, have already drafted next year's Halloween prenup and are ready for some serious snacking. Since eating sugar significantly lowers our white cell defenders (lymphocytes) in the blood for a period of time, which makes it more difficult to fight a nasty bug, it may be helpful to reduce your intake while all those swine-like germs are in the air. So, here's the perfect remedy to boost your immune system, get your body back on track, help stop those pesky cravings and amp up your daily fiber intake. Here's a super easy snack recipe that combines protein, fiber and healthy carbohydrates that you can enjoy making with your kids and munch on fresh out of the oven. Crunchy, tasty and totally homemade, you'll swear these little treats are some kind of nut, but they're not - they are roasted garbanzo beans, otherwise known as chick peas. So, if you are looking for a nut free snack or just want to upgrade from all the Skittles and M&M's you seem to keep gravitating towards - keep a treasure trove of these beans within easy reach and your body and your booty will thank you!

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans

1 1/2 T olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain beans and rinse well, then pat dry with a paper towel. Place beans on a metal sheet pan and drizzle with oil. Roll beans to coat and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast the beans for about 45 minutes, shaking the beans after 30 minutes of roasting. Continue to check beans and shake pan every few minutes until brown and crunchy - careful not to burn. Beans should not be soft in the middle. Can store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

Image credit to www.egglesscooking.com check out their site for some great egg free recipes.