PRODUCT RAVE: Candy Cane "Oreos"

Best. Cookies. Evar. Period.

I recently made yet another trip to my local Trader Joe's-

and stumbled upon these gems-Candy Cane infused "Oreo" cookies.

Now, i HATE oreos. gummy chocolate wafers for cookies. Starchy,

gritty, overly sweet frosting. But THIS, this was something else!

The frosting has little bits of candy cane

pieces in them-it adds a little crunch that is way addictive. and

the outer cookies actually tasted like, get this, COOKIES! Good flavor

and just the right amount of crunch. I'm about to buy Trader Joe's

out of these, just so i can have them all to myself for the next year.

Why is it that my favorite things are seasonal-silk nog, candy hearts,

candy corn, etc? I apparently have very festive taste buds. Highly

recommend these for a stocking stuffer, white elephant gift, party

contribution, or just for your own delight!

PRODUCT RAVE: Dark chocolate Dream bar w/raspberries

HIP HIP HOORAY! There are vegan chocolate bars our there that are amazingly delicious! There are %100 dairy free, no whey powder, milk proteins, nothing! and i think i am sold! At first bite, it is hard,chalk-like in texture, and has that rich taste that you just don't get with a Hershey's. We sampled the bar with raspberries-fabulously done. i have had bars before that had a raspberry gel inside the chocolate, and it was sticky and unpleasant. there were really pieces of fresh raspberries throughout this bar that really make it something special. for the $2.99 it cost to purchase, it takes like it would have cost more! Let's face it, every woman needs a bite of chocolate every now and then. This worry-free alternative is a great place to start-that food does not need any animal products to taste good-even the classics like a chocolate candy bar. This would be a lovely addition to any stocking, as it would be difficult to find someone that doesn't want any candy in their stocking for christmas morning! Share with you friends! See if they can taste the difference!

PRODUCT RAVE: Soy Nog!!!

I freaking love egg nog. Not so much the egg part. Or the calorie part. Or the fatty part. Cue Silk Soy Nog. This has a much more pleasant texture than actual egg nog-it is thinner, not thick and "slimy" The spices are also on par with real nog. To me, and to many of my vegetarian friends, it tasted like the real thing! There are enough high calorie foods coming up this holiday season-choose the lower calorie, yummier tasting Silk Soy Nog, so that you can have an extra piece of pumpkin pie! (Vegan Pie, of course:D )

PRODUCT RAVE: Rice Milk

Today was a fabulous, fun-filled day at Trader Joe's. God, I love that store! We got to stock up on several items we go through often, one of them being Rice Milk. We have tried several of the non-dairy milk options: coconut milk, soy, hemp, hazelnut, almond. But my favorite has always been the Rice Milk. A lot of the other milks have a watery taste to it-coconut milk. Or a strong aftertaste-soy milk. Rice Milk seems to be the perfect balance-it's not watery, and does not have a taste that is overpowering. I also find that the "texture" is much more along the lines of real milk-like a skim milk. Soy and Coconut milks tend to be too thick for my liking and really overpower the taste of most oatmeals and cereals. I usually go with the original, unsweetened version because there is enough flavor in the cereal. If I am baking, I tend to add some vanilla to the rice milk to give it a more pleasing flavor for baked goods. I know that most people have tried soy milk, and for me, that was a HUGE turnoff to the idea of "fake" milk. If this is the case, I highly suggest you give Rice Milk a try! Rice Dream or the Trader Joe's brands are both my top picks!

Angry Chicken Pasta (a rare non-vegan dinner!)

My husband requested my Angry Chicken Pasta-my own creation :>

I just had the pasta and sauce, but my husband wanted the chicken with it like I had made before. Super easy-takes about 20 minutes to make, and sooooo good!

You will need:

*2 TB vegan margarine

*2 TB flour (approximate)

*5 diced tomatoes (seeds removed)

*3 cups SO Coconut Milk

*Cooking Wine

*3 cloves garlic

*salt

*McCormick Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning

*Box grilled Chicken Strips-found in Lunchmeat Section, meant for salads

In large skillet, make a roux with the margarine and flour. Then, add the Coconut Milk, splash of cooking wine, 3 cloves minced garlic, dash of salt, and the tomatoes. Simmer until tomatoes and cooked through, and the sauce has begun to thicken. Remove from heat, and blend in blender until smooth.

In separate skillet, put a small amount of oil, chicken strips, and season with the Spicy Montreal Steak seasoning. Heat until cooked through/hot.

Serve sauce over pasta, and top with the spicy chicken strips.

VOILA! Angry Chicken Pasta!!!

NOTE: Coconut milk is my new love! The original recipe I found called for heavy cream. Coconut milk is nice and creamy-practically the same consistency as heavy cream, with MUCH less calories, and even adds a nice dash of flavor to the sauce, or anything else you choose to use it for. Happy Cooking!

Product Rave: Vegan Fruit Snacks!!!

First up: Trader Joe's Fruity Flakes:

These are usually my first choice because there is nothing in there but basically pure fruit. They use a special process that compresses the fruit into tight little chewy squares. There are 3 varieties if I remember right, but I'm partial to watermelon! These are Vegan, which is hard because many fruit snacks on the market contain gelatin. I even found a package that said "Beef Gelatin". That just doesn't even sound good, even if you WERE a meat-eater. There are 6 pkgs, and the box will run you about $3.

Next: Annie's Organic Bunny Snacks:

These are my son Camden's favorites, because he LOVES the bunny shape. He will bring the box to me and say "Bunnies". These snacks rely on the use of fruit pectin to be chewy and gummy. The texture of the snack is addictive-they don't stick to your teeth like most fruit snacks. These are pricier, at $3.99/box at Target, and there are 5 pkgs in a box, as opposed to 6. Just something to keep in mind.

Now, if you excuse me, I'm off to chase bunnies!

Mushroom Spinach Wrap

Bad picture...but I was in a hurry to eat! Tonight is MasterChef season finale, Top Chef season finale, and Top Chef Just Desserts season premiere! It's Foodie Heaven! Tonight was simple-Mushroom Spinach wrap with a whole wheat tortilla.

*1 pkg sliced mushrooms

*1 diced onion

*handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

*fresh spinach

*vegan margarine

*dill

*salt

*white cooking wine

**Throw diced onion and some vegan margarine into a pan, and start to saute.

**When onions start to turn translucent, add your mushrooms, dill, and a splash of white cooking wine.

**Cook down until mushrooms start to brown. Add the fresh spinach and tomatoes.

**Cook down until the spinach starts to wilt.

**Top the tortilla with your mushroom mixture.

**Last step: NOM NOM NOM!!!