Articles with the honey Tag

FTC Disclaimer: Although I love Nutella and am naming their brand, I always buy it with my own money and have never been sent any to review. I was not paid to write this post. I just wanted to share one of my favorite breakfasts with y’all, my friends. I did, however, include Amazon affiliate links to the product. If you click through those links and purchase anything, you’ll be helping Raw Juice Girl keep blogging. Thanks! 

Hi, y’all!

How’ve you been?

Did the title make you look twice? Hope so!

OIANJ: Oats In A Nutella Jar

Oh. So. Good!

I had a Nutella jar that was pretty much scraped clean. But there was enough to enjoy a jar of hot oatmeal that would melt all the yummy leftovers so they could be enjoyed. YUM!

I used whole grain oats but you could use whatever you have on hand or whatever brand/type you prefer.

Hazelnuts and the flavor stole my heart when I was a child. I absolutely love them! And Nutella? Oh, I try to be a good girl but it’s just so, so good!

Amazingly, it’s just hazelnuts, cocoa powder, and milk. How can anyone go wrong with those ingredients, eh?

And according to the label, you don’t have to worry about any preservatives or ingredients you can’t pronounce! It’s just those three simple ingredients and they create pure paradise for your mouth. I actually love eating it straight off the smooth spoon and savor every single taste!

Oats In A Nutella Jar Recipe

Ingredients:

* whole grain oatmeal flakes (prepare according to directions on can)

* honey (as much as you want or other sweetener of your choice)

* cinnamon, optional (to taste)

* milk of choice (depending on your proportion size, according to directions)

* peanut butter (1 – 2 spoonfuls)

* butter, 1-2 tablespoons (real)

* nearly empty Nutella jar

Directions:

1. Prepare oatmeal according to directions on can (1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup, etc., depending on your appetite)

2. Once you’ve decided on the proportion size, dump your oatmeal, milk, butter, honey, cinnamon, peanut butter, and butter into sauce pan.

3. Stir and let cook.

4. Once it’s done, you can cover with a lid and remove from heat, just letting it “steep” for a couple of minutes – or not.

5. Pour hot oatmeal mixture in Nutella jar, stir, and enjoy!

This is an energizing, filling breakfast for me.

Do you heart Nutella as much as I do? Do you love oatmeal? This is SUCH a delicious combination. I know I’ll be having it again as soon as that next Nutella jar is nearly empty!

Hi, y’all! It’s been a while, I know. How have my fantabulous readers been doing?

Summer is here! Woo hoo!

You may think cinnamon is only for a hot bowl of oatmeal in the wintertime but it isn’t. And I’m feeling cinnamon love lately so I decided to share with you the health benefits of cinnamon and give you a few ideas of how to incorporate this delicious, healthy spice during the warmer months.  

Fun Fact!

“Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices known. It was mentioned in the Bible and was used in ancient Egypt not only as a beverage flavoring and medicine, but also as an embalming agent. It was so highly treasured that it was considered more precious than gold. Around this time, cinnamon also received much attention in China, which is reflected in its mention in one of the earliest books on Chinese botanical medicine, dated around 2,700 B.C.” – WH Foods

Cinnamon is more than just a spice you can mix with sugar for your toast or something you can sprinkle on your oatmeal in the morning (just a couple of examples that seems to be pretty familiar with folks overall). It not only packs a powerful punch on taste, but provides some cool nutrients our bodies definitely appreciate.

(source)

A few health benefits that may come from consuming cinnamon:

1. enhanced brain function
2. more stabilized blood sugar
3. preventative colon and heart health

Cinnamon is also known to have anti-clotting and anti-microbial properties.

“Seasoning a high carb food with cinnamon can help lessen its impact on your blood sugar levels. Cinnamon slows the rate at which the stomach empties after meals, reducing the rise in blood sugar after eating. Researchers measured how quickly the stomach emptied after 14 healthy subjects ate 300 grams (1.2 cups) of rice pudding alone or seasoned with 6 grams (1.2 teaspoons) of cinnamon. Adding cinnamon to the rice pudding lowered the gastric emptying rate from 37% to 34.5% and significantly lessened the rise in blood sugar levels after eating. Am J Clin Nutr. 2 007 Jun;85(6):1552-6.” – WH Foods

For even more information on cinnamon and its nutritional value, click here.

Some of my favorite ways to get the health benefits of cinnamon follows….

Overnight Oats

I’ve made a pretty wide variety of overnight oats concoctions but haven’t only posted a couple of my recipes. Both recipes are below and make for a super yummy, cold and refreshing breakfast or snack during the hotter months.

Coconut Peanut Butter Overnight Oats <—Click link for recipe.

NuttzOats <—Click link for recipe.

Fun Fact!

“Cinnamon is the brown bark of the cinnamon tree, which when dried, rolls into a tubular form known as a quill.” – WH Foods

Cinnamon-Honey Tea

(source)

Ingredients:

1. honey of your choice

2. cinnamon of your choice

3. cup of hot water

Directions:

1. Pour 1 teaspoon of  honey in your cup.

2. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in your cup.

3. Pour hot water, stirring as you pour to mix well.

4. For hot weather, add ice and a wedge of fresh lemon. In colder months, sip while hot and warm the bones!

Note:

You can add honey and cinnamon to your tea of choice (whether it’s plain, old-fashioned Lipton or green, nettle leaf, etc.).

Other Cinnamon Ideas

1. herbal tea concoctions

2. sprinkled (generously) on a baked sweet tater

3. in iced coffee

Did you run and check your cupboards only to find you’re fresh out of cinnamon and/or honey? You’re in luck! With a few clicks, you can order  and have it delivered right to your front door.

If you’ve found yourself needing them, you can order honey here and order cinnamon here.

What’s your favorite way to consume cinnamon? Do you love the spice? Hate it? I love to smell it, eat it, drink it… What about you? Do you love adding honey to cinnamon like I do? Spice up the comments with your answers!

Credits:

Cinnamon Benefits and Nutrient Chart: WH Foods

Photo source

Wow, what an exciting contest – there were over 200 entries in this giveaway! Thank you so much to each and every one of you who entered and helped me promote this contest. You all are just awesome!!

So…. you’re waiting to see if you won, right?

CLICK HERE to find out who won the creamy, decadent, raw, wild honey!!!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Updated to add the winner

I’m excited to announce that we have a winner!! I used Random.org like always, to select a winner. Mr. Random chose comment #158…

Who is the lucky author of comment #158, you ask??? Why, that’d be Amanda!

Amanda said:

 

I stumbled the site. http://bit.ly/bgnP8n

I just need you to email me with your mailing address so Tropical Traditions can get your package out to you right away.

Congrats, Amanda!!!!

Remember the review I recently wrote about Tropical Traditions Certified Organic, Raw, Wild Honey? Well, the very generous folks at Tropical Traditions have decided to allow one of you, my fantabulous readers, to win your very own 17.6 ounce jar! Eeeek!

In case you’re just tuning in, or missed that post, here’s a recap of the recipes I created with this superb honey:

Chocolate Banana Avocado Pudding

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here .)

Happy Hemp Honey Holes

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here.)

Coconut PB Honey Overnight Oats

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here.)

Inside-Out Coconut Peanut Butter Cups

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here .)

And my recipe was also published on the Tropical Traditions website!!! <— I’m really excited about that, and very proud.

Search for tons of awesome recipes by clicking the banner:

Please read the contest rules before entering. Comments are moderated so you won’t see your entries right away. Thanks!

Contest Rules

This contest is open to U.S. and Canada residents only – sorry International readers!

There are only TWO required entries for this contest – but if you REALLY want to win, there are several (fun) extra ways you can enter following these required options:

Required entry #1

Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions email Sales Newsletter here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/subscribe_for_special_sales.cfm and come back to this post and leave a comment, letting me know that you did.

Required entry #2

Visit www.tropicaltraditions.com and come back here and leave a comment, letting me know which product (or recipe) is something you’d love to try.

There are 20 ways to enter this contest!!

** You must complete the above two entries before the following ones count.**

AND… If you want to put in a little extra effort….

(and receive a LOT of extra entries – aka chances to win) keep reading…

Numerous ways to get extra entries!

Note: The reason I ask you to leave a comment for EACH, SEPARATE entry is because I enter the total number of comments at random.org once the contest has ended – and each comment represents your entry number.

3. For FIVE EXTRA ENTRIES, share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. Leave FIVE SEPARATE COMMENTS to let me know you did.(Yep, you’ll really leave FIVE different comments for this so you’ll be able to get five extra entries. )

4. Become a fan of Tropical Traditions on Facebook. Then, come back here and leave a comment to let me know you did that – or that you already are.

5. Become a fan of Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post saying you did -or that you already are.

6. Follow Healing with (Raw) Juices on Facebook’s Networked Blogs. Leave a comment on this post saying that you did – or do.

7. Do you use Twitter? Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment on this post, saying you did – or do.

8. Follow @TropTraditions on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post that you did that.

9. Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. Use this tweet:

@RawJuiceGirl is giving away #raw #wild #honey from @TropTraditions Enter now: http://goo.gl/fb/XpMG

Then, leave a comment that you did – with your Twitter name or status link.

FOR EVEN MORE ENTRIES: For tweets, Facebook shares, or Plurk you may share the contest up to 5 times a day, but each tweet/share must be 1-2 hours or so after the previous one. (Thanks so much for understanding my position of keeping things fair and square, y’all!)

10. Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via e-mail (sign up here) – be sure to verify your subscription or this entry won’t count. Then comment and let me know you did – or that you already are.

11. Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via RSS (sign up here). Then leave a comment telling me you did – or that you are.

12. Subscribe to my brand-new newsletter (sign up here). Then comment here and let me know you did – or that you area.

13. Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.

14. Add me as a friend on Wellsphere . Leave a comment saying that you did- or do. 15. Add me as a friend on RawFu. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you area.

16. Add me as a friend on Give it to Me Raw. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you are.

17. Subscribe to Raw Juice Girl’s YouTube channel. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you are.

18. Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.

19. Do you have a Digg account? Digg this post. Come back and leave a comment on this post with a link to your Digg post.

20. Visit Tropical Traditions blog. Come back here and leave a comment sharing which of their newest products you’d most like to try.

NOTE: Please leave a comment for each entry (tweet, plurk, etc.) because each comment will be counted as a number when I enter the total number of comments at Random.org once the contest ends.

Deadline

Contest ends Wednesday, March 31. I’ll accept comments until midnight. (Central Time). Winner will be posted Thursday, April 1.

That gives you THREE WEEKS to get your entries in. Hurry and spread the word. The more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning a delicious jar of Tropical Traditions Certified Organic, Raw, Wild, Unprocessed Honey!!!

Let the contest begin!!!

Can’t wait?

Check out the Referral Option:

If you’d like to join the Tropical Traditions Healthy Buyer’s Club, visit www.healthybuyersclub.com/orderform.cfm

And enter Raw Juice Girl’s User ID number: 4845073

By following these steps, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy.

Your sponsor (that’d be me! ) will receive a coupon for a complimentary gift to redeem on their next order.

You may view the current complimentary gift being offered here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com//referral_program.htm

Further instructions can be found here.

Thanks again to www.tropicaltraditions.com!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

I already reviewed the coconut peanut butter. If you’d like to read that in-depth review, click here.

And now on to my thoughts on raw honey…

It’s Raw!

You know I have a soft spot for raw foods and their healing benefits. This honey would be RAWsome in a smoothie, y’all – especially if you’re wanting added sweetness to hide the taste of kale!

From the site:

Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey comes from the frontier areas of Canada, and is only harvested during a 6-week period in the summer. Tropical Traditions is the exclusive source of this premium organic honey in the U.S. Most commercial honeys available on the market today come from bee farms, where the bees are controlled within a certain area and get their pollen from usually only one kind of flower. Many of the plants that produce these flowers (clover, orange blossom, etc.) are grown with pesticides and fertilizers as well. In addition, almost all honeys on the market are pasteurized in high heat and filtered, removing many of the beneficial nutrients and enzymes.

Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey has not been subjected to the heat of processing, only warmed enough to flow (same temperatures the honey would see inside the hive). We select only premium honey that is pure, smooth and creamy, with the consistency of soft margarine at harvest. It contains live yeast and enzymes, because it has not been processed. It also contains pollen because it has not been filtered—merely screened.

Fine textured crystals are characteristic of totally pure, unheated, unprocessed, raw honey. Properly crystallized honey has a fine, smooth texture. Crystallized honey preserves natural goodness and doesn’t drip. The more rapidly honey crystallizes the finer the texture will be. It will also turn harder over time as it crystallizes. Truly raw honeys do not deteriorate with age, but like fine wines, continue to age and develop into more complex tastes.

Some of you wondered why Tropical Traditions raw honey is solid – and not liquid/runny like you see in stores. I hope the above information helps you understand.

Fun Fact!

“Honey has been used since ancient times both as a food and as a medicine. Apiculture, the practice of beekeeping to produce honey, dates back to at least 700 BC. For many centuries, honey was regarded as sacred due to its wonderfully sweet properties as well as its rarity. It was used mainly in religious ceremonies to pay tribute to the gods, as well as to embalm the deceased. Honey was also used for a variety of medicinal and cosmetic purposes. For a long time in history, its use in cooking was reserved only for the wealthy since it was so expensive that only they could afford it.”—WH Foods

It’s (Certified) Organic!

I know for most of you, consuming (certified) organic foods is a priority. It’s not always easy to find certified organic products but when we do, it’s a blessing!

From the site:

In order for honey to be certified organic, the beehives must be placed in isolated areas miles from the dense population, industry, traffic congestion, and farm fields treated with chemicals and landfills. Second, a bee’s flying range is determined by their natural instinct which tells them to stay within their natural four mile range from the hive location. Finding area which can be certified organic is extremely difficult, which is why there are so few certified organic honeys on the market. Tropical Traditions sources its honey from hives in the wild frontier areas of Canada.

These regions are a rich source of wild vegetation that produce some of the finest honey in the world. The USDA and Canadian Organic Certification implies a rigorous set of standards and conditions that must be adhered to by both the producer (beekeeper) and the packager. All aspects of the honey production including the source of the nectar, forage area of the bees, management of the bees, extracting process, transportation, “lot” management, processing temperature, integrity (no co-mingling with non-organic honey), screening, and, packaging materials, are taken into account in the certification process.

17.6 oz. glass jar
Retail: $17.50

15 lb. pail
Retail: $160.00

Health Benefits

Raw honey is anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial and has been known to help:

• alleviate sore, raw throats
• coughing
• allergies
• heal wounds
• fight against free radicals
• lower cholesterol
• increase energy
• improve athletic performance
• boost the immune system
• and more!

“Phytonutrients found both in honey and propolis have been shown to posssess cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties. These substances include caffeic acid methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate, and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate. Researchers have discovered that these substances prevent colon cancer in animals by shutting down activity of two enzymes, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and lipoxygenase. When raw honey is extensively processed and heated, the benefits of these phytonutrients are largely eliminated.”—WH Foods

Raw honey is also a wonderful natural beauty treatment. Smear some on your face and let the raw goodness seep into your pores.

Diabetics don’t have to fear raw honey either:

“Honey may promote better blood sugar control. Proper fueling of the liver is central to optimal glucose metabolism during sleep and exercise. Honey is the ideal liver fuel because it contains a nearly 1:1 ratio of fructose to glucose. Fructose "unlocks" the enzyme from the liver cell’s nucleus that is necessary for the incorporation of glucose into glycogen (the form in which sugar is stored in the liver and muscle cells). An adequate glycogen store in the liver is essential to supply the brain with fuel when we are sleeping and during prolonged exercise. When glycogen stores are insufficient, the brain triggers the release of stress hormones – adrenalin and cortisol – in order to convert muscle protein into glucose. Repeated metabolic stress from cortisol produced when less than optimal liver glycogen stores are available during sleep, leads over time, to impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, diabetes, and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and obesity.”—WH Foods

Also, Whole Foods says: “Although our food ranking system did not qualify honey as a dense source of traditional nutrients, it did emerge as a source of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, iron and manganese.”

Pros

As you can see, Tropical Traditions honey is raw, certified organic, and is super high quality, so I know it’s not only chock-full of sweet deliciousness – every smidgen is bursting with health benefits and energy.

I personally love that the raw honey is solid. It’s fun to use and all you have to do to keep the raw enzymes intact and turn it into liquid, is simply put the amount you need in a small bowl and set that bowl in a bowl of warm water – or set that small (glass) bowl/cup near a low heat so it can liquefy.

Cons

It may be a little expensive, if you’re frugal or having to really watch your pennies. A  17.6 oz. glass jar retails for $17.50 so if you’re used to spending $3 – $5 for regular old honey at the grocery store, you might feel like the cost of this honey is a huge splurge for you; however, isn’t what we put into our bodies worth the extra cost?

And that is seriously the only con I can think of, folks!

Verdict/Grade

Raw Juice Girl gives this honey an A. I feel it deserves an A because it’s truly raw, it’s wild, it’s natural, it’s (certified) organic and cruelty-free. I also believe it deserves an A because the company does everything it can to ensure it is the quality product they say it is. And I didn’t add the + (a lot of times I give products an A+) because I feel that the cost may be an issue for some of you. Although I absolutely feel it’s a worthy investment and you are only going to use a small amount so it would last you a while, $17.50 plus shipping is a lot for some folks to shell out – and I realize that.

If you can rearrange your budget or can afford this at all, I absolutely feel it’s worthy every single penny. You have my word!

And be sure to check out the recipes I created using Tropical Traditions raw honey:

Chocolate Banana Avocado Pudding

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here .)

Happy Hemp Honey Holes

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here.)

Coconut PB Honey Overnight Oats

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here.)

Inside-Out Coconut Peanut Butter Cups

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here .)

And my recipe was also published on the Tropical Traditions website!!! <— I’m really excited about that, and very proud.

Search for tons of awesome recipes by clicking the banner:

Win a FREE jar HERE!!!

Referral Option

If you’d like to join the Tropical Traditions Healthy Buyer’s Club, visit www.healthybuyersclub.com/orderform.cfm

And enter Raw Juice Girl’s ID number: 4845073

By following these steps, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy.

Your sponsor (that’d be me! ) will receive a coupon for a complimentary gift to redeem on their next order.

You may view the current complimentary gift being offered here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com//referral_program.htm

Further instructions can be found here.

Thanks again to www.tropicaltraditions.com!

Have you tried Tropical Traditions raw honey? Did you love it? What did you think of the consistency? Was it sweeter or better than other honeys you’ve tried? Do you prefer the solid consistency or are you set in your ways when it comes to runny honey? Of course, I realize it isn’t vegan but to my vegan readers: Don’t you think this honey is a wonderful honey to use for those who are transitioning to veganism? Don’t you agree? Or, I know some vegans consume honey from time-to-time. If that’s you, would you give this raw honey a try? Chime in, folks! I LOVE reading your thoughts!

Oh, and just in case you didn’t hear the news: This site is in the midst of a redesign and things might get a little wonky for the next couple of days.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

References:

WH Foods: Honey

Last night just before I fell asleep, I had a brainstorm for this fantabulous recipe. I seriously had to grab a notebook and write it down! I was super excited to get busy experimenting today. I had no idea how (or if!) it would even turn out – but it DID! And it’s SO delish! And I’m so excited to share it with you!!!

Introducing…

Inside-Out (Coconut) Peanut Butter Cups

Want to taste this “Inside-Out (Coconut) Peanut Butter Cup” for yourself? I would share with you, but since there’s such a distance between us, you’ll just have to keep reading – I’ll teach you how to make your own!

This concept is something I’ve been wanting to try for a while. I ate peanut butter cups growing up, and for a lot of my adult life – until I got serious about my health. The awesome Mrs. Averie Sunshine (over at Love Veggies & Yoga) has been killing me with her fantabulous, decadent desserts – including her personal variations of homemade peanut butter cups.

And, well, I finally got around to whipping up a batch – Raw Juice Girl style.

I stepped outside the box, colored outside the lines, and turned traditional peanut butter cups inside-out!

(Aren’t your proud of me, Averie?!) Eeeeekkk!!

Move over chemical-laden candy,

HELLO to homemade and healthy…

Inside-Out (Coconut) Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

(This recipe makes 12. Nope, they’re not all for me. I made extra to give as Valentine’s gifts. )

What you’ll need:

• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used Singing Dog Vanilla from NuNaturals)
• 20 drops Vanilla Stevia (from NuNaturals)
• 2 teaspoons Tropical Traditions raw honey, melted (or agave for those of you who use it – I don’t anymore)
• Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter <— I’m currently giving a jar away! (Contest ends 2/19/10)
• chocolate bar or block of your choice (I used raw cacao paste from NavitasNaturals.)
• fine dusting of stevia (I used NuNatural NoCarb Stevia Blend). You could also use powdered sugar here if you use that.
• cupcake papers
• muffin pan

NOTE: You could “raw-i-fy and/or veganize” this recipe by using raw nut butter and experimenting with coconut products (or leaving it out) and by eliminating the honey.

Check out that chunk of NavitasNaturals RAW chocolate!!

And there’s only 14 steps in honor of today, February 14!

This is a really fun and easy recipe!!

Directions:

STEP 1: I chopped a wedge of the 1 lb of raw chocolate off (about a fifth?) – and there’s an in-depth review of this chunk of chocolate love coming up in a future post!

STEP 2: Place the raw chocolate in a glass bowl (that’s sitting on top of another bowl filled with hot water) so it will melt.

STEP 3: If your coconut peanut butter is solid, just place it in a bowl filled with hot water so it will become a runny consistency.

Now that that’s done, move on to…

STEP 4: Keep an eye on your raw chocolate and stir it as it melts. This chocolate filling will taste like dark chocolate – if you don’t like dark chocolate, you could melt a sweetened chocolate bar or add your own (sweeter) twist.

STEP 5: Pour coconut peanut butter into cupcake papers – just enough to make your bottom layer.

I was going to make half inside-out and the other half with coconut peanut butter INSIDE and the raw chocolate on the outside – but the raw chocolate didn’t turn out in a runny consistency like I thought it would, so I ended up doing all 12 inside-out (just explaining why only half the pan is filled at this point).

STEP 6: Go back to your raw chocolate. Stir until it’s melted.

STEP 7: Add 4 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

STEP 8: Add 20 drops of vanilla extract.

STEP 9: At this point, I tasted and thought it needed to be sweeter, so I added the last bit of some honey I had on hand (about 2 teaspoons).

Perfect!!!

STEP 10: Combine until you have the following consistency.

STEP 11: Portion the chocolate into each cupcake paper (it’s the middle of your inside-out ‘coconut’ peanut butter cup). You can do this with a spoon, or your hands. Have fun!

Close-up

STEP 12: Sprinkle a fine dusting over each chocolate center. (I used NuStevia NoCarbs Blend from NuNaturals.)

Close-up

STEP 13: Drizzle more coconut peanut butter over the top, to seal the sweet deal on your “Inside-Out (Coconut) Peanut Butter Cups” and pop the pan into the freezer for just a few minutes – so they can harden.

Close-up

STEP 14: Peel the paper off…

Admire its beauty…

And take that bite I promised you!

And if you make ‘em and blog about ‘em, contact me with your blog post link and I’ll send my readers your way! And if you send me photos of your recreation, I’ll post ‘em here, too!

Enjoy!!

And…

Happy Valentine’s Day

I LOVE YOU ALL WITH ALL MY fruit and veggie- (and chocolate!) filled…

HEART!!!

And….

Just in case you were busy this week and missed what happened around here…

I want to thank you for your sweet words on my guest post at Positive Provocations (Healing Your Heart, Holistically) and I’m thrilled that my post on emotional eating, food labels, and judgments resonated so deeply with y’all!

Find out my sweet thoughts on NuNaturals’ NoCarbs Blend Stevia, and don’t forget to enter my latest contest – there’s over 200 entries and it’s headed toward 250 fast! (Contest ends 2/19/10

What about you? Did you blog today? Read blogs? Hang out with family, friends, or a special someone? Did you splurge bigtime on store-bought treats or did you make a healthier version at home? Did you get enough chocolate? Flowers? What does Valentine’s Day mean to you? And… what do you think about my recipe? Are you excited to try it? Let’s give the comment section some love and do some chatting!

photo source (heart)

All other photos were taken by Raw Juice Girl.

Disclaimer: The link for NavitasNaturals is an affiliate link – the others are not.

FTC Disclaimer: NuNaturals provided (free) samples for me to try; however, they did not pay me to write this review and they did not require me to write this review. The thoughts and opinions found here are my own, and are of my free will.

Remember when I got that fantabulous package from NuNaturals? Well, I’ve been experimenting with these sweet products and have lots of reviews coming up!

(A huge thank you to NuNaturals for sending some a LOT of sweetness my way!!)

I decided to try the NuStevia NoCarbs Blend in my tea.

From the site:

NuStevia White Stevia NoCarbs uses Erythritol, a natural filler that is produced from corn. Erythritol enhances the taste of Stevia. NuStevia White Stevia NoCarbs will have absolutely no effect on blood sugar levels and is safe for both Type I and II diabetics.

NuStevia NoCarbs Blend contains 60% more Stevia extract than most other brands on the market. The cost to get the same sweet taste of other brands can be up to 2 1/2 times more expensive compared to NuNaturals. NuNaturals NuStevia NoCarbs Blend will save you money.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.

Free of Soy, Yeast, Gluten….

According to NuNaturals, NuStevia NoCarbs Blend contains no: soy, yeast, wheat, milk, synthetics, msg, artificial colors or flavors, preservatives, saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, or artificial sweeteners.

Regarding gluten, they say:

This product does not contain gluten. The Maltodextrin used in our White Stevia Powder products is derived from corn. The Erythritol used in our NoCarbs Blend products is derived from corn.

Woo hoo! How awesome is that?!

Personal Touch

What’s this? A cutting board I received from a precious friend as a  Christmas gift. Ain’t it pretty?!

Sneak Peek Inside the Bottle

Ingredients (from the site):

NuStevia Extract, Erythritol, Natural Flavors

The natural flavors are natural plant extracts from herbs and berries. These natural flavors do not contain any MSG (monosodium glutamate) or any other “natural flavors” that are known to cause allergic reactions in the body. We do scrutinize the ingredients that we use very carefully and would not use an ingredient known to cause reactions.

Supplement Facts: Serving Size 1/8 tsp Calories 0 Fat Calories 0 % Daily Value* Total Carbohydrates 0g 0% Sugars 0g Sugar Alcohol .42g 0% Total Fat 0g 0% Sodium 0mg 0% Stevia Extract 40 mg* (Stevia rebaudiana) *Daily Value not extablished Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Bitter Buds?

Worried about the bitter aftertaste of Stevia? I didn’t get that with this brand. It sweetens my tea (or oats, etc.) nicely – without a nasty aftertaste. Delish!

Want to know why this brand of Stevia doesn’t have a lingering, bitter aftertaste?

Here’s what the company says…

From the site:

NuNaturals Stevia products are not only non-bitter, but will not leave an unpleasant lingering aftertaste in your mouth like other Stevia products will. This is achieved by both removing the bitter components of the Stevia extract and through the use of natural flavors that improve the taste of the Stevia extract.

 Bravo, NuNaturals, bravo!

About the Company

It’s always nice to know a little something about the company behind a product you’re interested in, right?

NuNaturals shares this bit of information on their site:

Thank you for taking the time to get to know us better. We have over 18 years of experience providing nutritional supplements. NuNaturals uses only the highest quality herbs and nutrients to make our products. We belong to the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) and the TruLabel Program.

Wow. Close to 20 years of (sweet) experience… That’s a pretty good record, don’t you think?!

Pros

I love that this Stevia is sweet, delicious, and doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste. I also love the low-carb aspect. And I honestly believe it’s affordable for most everyone. At $9.99 per bottle, it’s a super deal because you use such a teeny tiny amount, it will last like forever.

It’s also small and convenient. You can pop this little bottle in your purse and take it with you. If you’re slow and cautious, you can simply shake some right from the bottle into your drink – without having to use a spoon – so it’s nice to just carry with you and have on hand if you buy an unsweetened tea (or other beverage or food) while you’re out on the town.

And my experience with the company has been just stellar. I feel confidant yours would be, too.

Cons

Hmmm…. This one is difficult! I sometimes include cost as a con when I write my reviews because, let’s face it, not all of us can truly afford some of the healthier products – but I can’t use cost as a con on this product. I think it’s price is more than fair because you use such a minute amount, it’s really cost-effective in the long run.

Another thing I (personally) toss in to the “con pile” when I’m reviewing a product, is whether or not it is organic. This product is not. But there are a lot of NuNaturals products that are, so if you’re a stickler for organic/certified organic only, I still recommend you check out their site and see for yourself what awesome products they’re carrying.

If you don’t mind some non-organic products, then for sure try this out!

Sweet Tea

Let me walk you through combining NuStevia NoCarbs Blend + a glass of herbal tea to recreate sweet tea from my childhood, drank from a glass jar – just like grandma did!

Adding the Stevia Powder

Sweet Sipping Time!

The only thing missing was a slice of lemon!

I absolutely adore Stevia and use it in my tea, sometimes my oats, and recipes. I’ve loved it for years, and found it to be a life-saver during my 100+ pound weight loss. I was so happy to have a (healthy) sweetener for my old-fashioned tea.

Verdict/Grade

I give this product an A- because although it isn’t certified organic, it is delicious, free of a bitter aftertaste, very cost-friendly, and fun to use! That’s a winner, in my opinion!

What’s your go-to sweetener? White, processed sugar? Dates? Stevia? Honey? Agave*? Turbinado? Xylitol? And… are you (gasp!) using Splenda? (You may want to read this article if you’re using Splenda.) Would you try something else? Are you open-minded about sweeteners? Do you switch things up, or stick with one certain kind?  Let me know!

Oh, and don’t forget about my latest contest! You might really, really want to take advantage of those extra entry options (like linking back on your blog) because there’s 200+ entries already and it doesn’t end until Friday, February 19th! Enter now!

Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links**. If you purchase anything once you click on the links, I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

*I didn’t link to agave like I did the other sweeteners because I’ve decided NOT to consume agave anymore – more about that in a future post.

**The link to NuNaturals is not an affiliate link; the links that take you to Amazon.com are affiliate links.

References:

NuNaturals.com

Rubin, Jordan. Issue 14: Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners

Hi, y’all!

I hope you enjoyed my interview with Lisa Ann Turkel and my review of ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey mask! The contest was fun, but it had to end sooner or later.

Mr. Random (random.org ) chose the winner. He says comment #11 won…

And… comment #11 says

Upcoming Posts

Yoga + Warm Lemon Water = a (Very) Happy Raw Juice Girl

Plus, more contests, reviews, and YouTube videos!

If you’re a first-time visitor, you may have missed my recent delivery of packages and upcoming reviews or the Sunday fun and news. You might also enjoy my last post: A Package and a Story – this one is dear to my heart…  Be sure to check ‘em out!

Would you believe I get to share another package with you?! Pretty crazy FUN, huh?

This one came from Lisa Ann Turkel. Lisa owns ShimmerOrganics. She makes homemade, raw, organic beauty products and has sent me her Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask to review.

I’m really excited about this! Lisa has been a gem to communicate with. Her passion for pure, raw beauty products permeates through each and every word.

I love her personality and I love the way she ships her masks, too!

Check this out…

Pink Packaging!

A Cheerful Message!

Isn’t that awesomeness? It’s like a fortune cookie message. And this pink packaging and cheerful message brightened up my (rainy) day!!

Pure, Raw Beauty!

Lisa filled this container to the brim with quality ingredients. She’s put a lot of time, effort, and thought into her business. I can tell that already!

Organic Mask Information

Thank you, Lisa, for allowing me to enjoy your beauty mask. I’m honored to have the opportunity for sure.

I’ll be trying the mask more than once before I post the review (and a surprise for y’all!) and I might even grace the camera lens with my mask-covered face. Ya never know!

If you’re an impatient kind of person, and you don’t want to wait for my review, you can go ahead and order directly from Lisa here.

Thank you to Lisa, from ShimmerOrganics!

This is just a short post to let remind you about that latest contest that ends tonight, plus a bonus contest I discovered in the blogsphere today and wanted to share with you all. I’m working very hard to bring more reviews and contests to you, so I’ll be posting lots of good stuff soon!

Until then….

Contest #1

Detox 4 Women (by Natalia Rose) ends. Be sure to get those entries in!

Contest #2

Want some honey from Tropical Traditions? Then make like a bee and fly on over to the What’s for Dinner? blog and enter Mara’s Sweet as Honey Giveaway!

Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies

• Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
• E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
• 2 books (Coconut Water for Health and Healing and Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing by Dr. Bruce Fife
• and MORE!

You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!

So… be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life.