Think Spring with These Refreshing Cocktails

We are thinking Spring with these cocktails!

Innocent One

INGREDIENTS

·                     3 oz of Prosecco

·                     1.5 oz of orange juice

·                     1.5 oz Sparkling Ice Pomegranate Blueberry

·                     Mint leaves (garnish)

DIRECTIONS

Combine all into champagne flute. Garnish with mint leaves.

Rough Around the Edges

INGREDIENTS

·                     1.5 oz of rye whiskey

·                     0.5 oz of lemon juice

·                     6 oz Sparkling Ice Pomegranate Blueberry

·                     Dash of Angostura bitters

·                     Lemon (garnish)

DIRECTIONS

1.                Add bitters, rye whiskey, and lemon juice to shaker.

2.                Add ice. Shake and strain into Collins glass with ice.

3.                Add Sparkling Ice Pomegranate Blueberry.

4.                Garnish with lemon twist.

#engchikeats

Get Healthy with PBfit

Celebrate National Nutrition daily with this one easy, healthy upgrade to your daily diet.  

Switch out that fat and calorie laden peanut butter with PBfit.  

90% less fat and 1/3 the calories of traditional PB and tastes great. It even comes in chocolate.  It's easy to use and so good!

PBfit is a healthy alternative to traditional peanut butter—it’s a powdered peanut butter that you can mix right into your smoothies or recipes. With a dash of organic coconut palm sugar and salt, Pbfit lets you keep the nutrients, along with the peanut butter taste you love, but lets you ditch the fat and calories.

See why people are turning to PBfit when it comes to this household staple:

• 90% less fat and ⅓ of the calories;
• Made from real roasted, pressed peanuts;
• Combine with water or add to smoothies to get a natural protein boost with great taste;
• Mix into breads, pancakes or waffles to create a delicious peanut butter flavor.

Now you can enjoy peanut butter without the love handles with the benefits of this non-guilty pleasure from PBfit®! 

Coconut Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whip up these healthier than normal chocolate chip cookies- a sure treat that's easy and delicious. 

Coconut Protein
Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe Credit: Carrington Farms

INGREDIENTS

·                     ½ cup Carrington Farms Organic ghee

·                     ½ cup Cane Sugar

·                     1 teaspoon Carrington Farms Milled Flax

·                     2 Tablespoon Water

·                     2 teaspoons Molasses

·                     ½ cup Carrington Farms Coconut Protein Powder

·                     1¼ cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

·                     ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda

·                     ¼ teaspoon Salt

·                     ½ cup Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS

1.                  Preheat oven to 370 degrees.

2.                  In large mixing bowl, cream together ghee and sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes.

3.                  In small bowl, mix together ground flax seeds and water. Let sit for 1-2 minutes. Add to butter sugar mixture and mix. Add molasses and stir.

4.                  Stir in protein powder, whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, salt. Mix until just combined, avoid overmixing. Stir in chocolate chips.

5.                  Using parchment paper or silpat silicone baking sheets, cover baking sheet. Divide dough into balls. Press down on dough to flatten. Make sure that each cookie has enough room to spread.

6.                  Bake at 9-11 minutes or until golden brown on edges but still soft.

7.                  Let cool for 5-10 minutes before eating.

*Pro Tip: Save a bundle with the Carrington Farms Baking Bundle! The ideal bundle for all your baking needs, this package includes: Matcha Powder, Organic Ghee Clarified Butter, Organic Milled Flax, Coconut Oil Cooking Grapy, and Unflavored Liquid Coconut Cooking Oil. ($55)

Game Night Snacks

Need some new munchies- whip these up and enjoy!

Flax-Hemp Blend Mozzarella Sticks courtesy of Carrington Farms

Ingredients

• Mozzarella sticks
• Carrington Farms flax-hemp blend
• (We recommend 1 tablespoon of flax-hemp blend per 2 string cheese)
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• Salt (optional)
• 1 egg white, beaten

Directions

1. Beat egg white and set aside.
2. Mix flax-hemp blend with garlic powder, black pepper and salt (optional; as much as you like).
3. Prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside.
4. Dip mozzarella sticks in egg white, roll in flax-hemp mixture making sure to coat well, and place on baking sheet. Repeat until finished with mozzarella sticks.
5. Place baking sheet in freezer for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven at 350 degrees.
6. Take out mozzarella sticks and repeat the process (that's right- double dipping and coating!)
7. Bake for about 7-10 minutes or until cheese sticks are ooey-gooey and slightly golden brown. Enjoy with a side of marinara sauce.

Halftime Hummus courtesy of GAEA

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpeas
• 3 tablespoons sesame paste
• 3 tablespoons GAEA FRESH EVOO
• 1 bay leaf
• Garlic
• 1 lemon
• Salt
• Cumin
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 cloves fresh marjoram

Directions 

1. Soak the chickpeas for 6 hours and boil with the bay leaf until they become soft, then remove from the water. 
2. While the chickpeas boil, cover the garlic with aluminum foil and grill it for 20 minutes at 180^ο C. 
3. Cut the garlic in half and press each clove. 
4. Using a blender, mix the hot chickpeas, the garlic, the sesame paste, the olive oil and the lemon juice. If needed, dilute the mixture with some warm water. 
5. Add the cumin and a tablespoon of pine nuts. At this point give it a taste to see if it needs more salt or lemon in order to please your needs. 
6. Serve the hummus with GAEA FRESH Extra Virgin Olive Oil, marjoram and roasted pine nuts.

Fresh Tomato Salsa courtesy of T-Fal

Ingredients 

• ¼ Small white onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 Small jalapeno pepper, quartered and seeded
• 1 Small garlic clove
• 4 Small plum tomatoes, quartered and seeded
• ¼ Cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• ¼ Teaspoon salt

Directions 

1. Using a paring knife, cut onion into 1-inch pieces and place into bottom of T-Fal Manual Chopper along with jalapeno pepper and garlic clove. 
2. Process until medium chopped. 
3. Add tomatoes, cilantro and salt chopping until coarsely chopped or desired texture. 
4. Serve with tortilla chips.

Get to Know Country Music Star Sara Spicer!

Come along on a journey with me as I sit down with Country music star Sara Spicer- with the voice of an angel and a fabulous personality- we know this girl is made of magic stuff. 

Q: What began you on your journey of music and singing?
A: My dad is a musician so I grew up on country music! It's in my blood and I knew from a young age it was my dream! 

Q: What music genre do you classify yourself as?

A: Country/pop

Q: What/ who were /are your influences?

A: Celine Dion is one of my favorite vocalists of all time! Patsy Cline helped influence me as well. And of course, seeing my dad love singing made me realize how much passion I truly had for it. 

Q: Tell me about the song, Heaven's Gate, your first single, inspired, sadly, by the loss of your mom. How did that impact your music and writing your songs?

A: The song Heaven's gate is obviously a very special song I hold dear to my heart. It was the first "real" song I wrote. I have wonderful memories of my mom and losing her was hard, but through trials and tribulations, it made me a stronger person. I think it made me a better songwriter. It's truly helped me better express myself through music. I just want to inspire others to push through hard times and know it will be okay.

Q: Your songwriter partner is Heidi Hamels. How did the two of you meet?

A: Heidi and I met through a mutual friend. My best friend’s dad teaches Heidi’s children piano. He asked me if I wanted to write with Heidi and I was so excited! It blossomed into so much more and I'm now a part of her label HH entertainment. Not only did it grow with a business relationship, but she's truly one of my best friends and she's like a sister to me. It's been the most enjoyable collaboration for me thus far and I don't see that changing. 

Q: How has your music evolved since you first began playing music?

A: I have grown so much as an artist and a songwriter. Like any craft, you must practice it in order to get better. I'm still learning new ways to better myself every day! 

Q: What are you planning on next?
A: The plan is to tour this summer. (Stay tuned for tour dates!)

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time that lends creativity to your singing/songwriting? 

A: I love to travel and take my experiences from that and incorporate them into my songwriting. I also enjoy listening to other artists and learning more about different styles of writing. 

Q: What is the biggest challenge you have while on the road?

A: The biggest challenge is probably missing my loved ones and my dog.