Category Archives: Food and Drink

Nutrition For The Modern Caveman

Are You a Modern Craveman? Take the Quiz and Find Out! Plus, Get Your 15% Discount Code

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Take the Modern Craveman Quiz:

  1. Do you like your snacks with no added sugar?
  2. Are you looking for foods with no refined carbs?
  3. Do you want something to eat that is nutritionally dense?
  4. Are you interested in eating organic or vegan foods?
  5. Does Gluten-free and Grain-free foods interest you?
  6. Are you not willing to compromise on taste?

The Modern Craveman LOVES
Organic, Kosher, Keto, Vegan, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free Natural Snacks with NO Added Sugar, NO Refined Carbs, that do NOT Compromise on Taste and Nutrition.

Plantraw is an up-and-coming company that is focused on bringing you the highest-quality, most nutritious snacks gustatorily possible. We had the privilege of trying three of their unique snacks; the Cocoa-Date Truffles (Dark), Tomato Onion Chips, and Nutrionally Dense Granola.

Our Modern Craveman loves him some Cocoa-Date Truffles.

The Cocoa-Date Truffles (Dark) contain just a few high-quality ingredients: Raw organic dates, Raw unsweetened organic coconut, Raw organic cocoa paste (100% dark chocolate), and Raw organic coconut oil. That’s it!

They have no added sugar, sweeteners, fillers, thickeners, emulsifiers, or preservatives. The fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, flavonoids, and other micronutrients in this product are intact and bioavailable.

Since these delectable bites are only sweetened with dates they are not overly sweet like many truffles. Unlike when you eat highly processed sweets, after eating these truffles your palate still feels clean. 

Attention Modern Craveman loves Tomato Onion Chips!

Plantraw Tomato Onion chips are gluten-free, vegan, and natural. These chips lose 2/3 of their weight during dehydration. This leaves the remaining 1/3 rich in flavor and nutritionally dense.

It is amazing that with so much taste they are a good source of fiber. If you’ve ever eaten a high-fiber bar you know this is not always true. These chips are also a good source of Omega 3, the “healthy fats” that may support heart health. And, ever conscious of carbs since I help several family members with diabetes understand what is beneficial for them to eat; these chips are a great snack for them with 0g refined carbs.

Tomato-Onion Chips also have just a few simple ingredients. They contain tomatoes, onions, flaxseed, nutritional yeast, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, smoked paprika, and acerola cherry. That’s it!

Did You Know That The Modern Craveman Loves Nutritionally Dense Granola?

Plantraw’s original granola is grain-free and gluten-free. It is sweetened solely with whole organic dates so it has no added sugar or sweeteners.

With its ingredients of sprouted almonds, dates, pecans, sesame, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and acerola cherry it is a good source of dietary fiber, Omega 3, and plant-based protein. 

We enjoyed this granola as a late afternoon pick-me-up while spending the day at the aquarium with our grandchildren. I was pleasantly surprised at how much the kids loved it. They kept reaching their tiny hands into the bag for more.

 

If you’re a modern craveman and are looking for healthy and minimally processed foods that taste amazing, you’ve got to check out the products that Plantraw offers. We’ve tried their truffles, chips, and granola so far. And, are loving them!!!!

PlantraW has graciously offered our readers a 15% discount. Just enter code Sweet15 at checkout or use this link to get your discount

Delicious Recipes For Soup Swap Day

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Soup Swap Day!!!

Winter is the perfect time to warm up with a nice bowl of soup. Rich in nutrients and energy, it’s not surprising that soup is one of the most popular appetizers. Around since 20,000 B.C, soups are one of the best comfort foods of winter. But as the cold chill of winter stretches into the new year we often become tired of the same old soups in our recipe repertoire. To combat this and have some fun, have or attend a soup swap!

We celebrate Soup Swap Day on the third Saturday of January, which takes place on January 21 this year. Soup Swap Day is a national holiday in which people come together for a soup party. Everyone brings their favorite soup and shares it with others. Soup Swap Day is a perfect chilly middle-of-the-winter day to gather with family and friends and enjoy some tasty hot soup of every type.

–Practical Self Reliance     

What is a Soup Swap Day Party?

A soup swap day party is a fun and easy party in which you invite your soup-loving friends to come together and bring several quarts of their favorite soup to share. Then, you take turns swapping soups and everyone goes home with different soups than what they brought.

–The Full Plate Blog

Before the Soup Swap
Give your prospective guests plenty of time to prepare for Soup Swap. This is a great party for mixing people who don’t know each other. How better than over soup?

Invite at least 6 guests: A bigger group is better, more soup, after all!

Explain Soup Swap to your invited guests: Make sure that everyone knows what a soup swap is and how it works. The invite is a great time to do this.

What Each Guest Should Bring:
Six quarts of soup in separate containers that they don’t mind giving away.
The soup should be frozen or refrigerated.
Swappers should also bring a separate container of soup for tasting.

Soup Swap Day Party Invite Idea: “I’m having a Soup Swap on (DATE) at (TIME)! Swap begins at (TIME). I have invited you because you are a great cook or (ahem) you could really use a freezer full of homemade soup to enjoy this winter. The beauty of a Soup Swap is that each person just has to make one big batch of one kind of soup, divide it into six one-quart containers, and everyone will go home from the party with six different types of soups to enjoy. Surely, you have one soup recipe that is a family favorite or crowd-pleaser. Chilis, stews, soups, healthy purees… it need not be fancy, just comforting and delicious.”

If you are hosting the Soup Swap Day Party, here’s what you need to set up.

Set up your party: You’ll need a place for everyone to set out their soups and tasters, and to mingle and talk. Make sure there is plenty of room for jars of soup.
Cover the table: There will be lots of soup drips, cover the table with a tablecloth or butcher paper for easy cleanup.
Put out small bowls, cups, or jars for the tasters: Make sure you have enough for all the soup swappers.
Decide how you’ll sample soups: You can buy or make a loaf of great bread. Or, you can also use crackers or tiny disposable spoons.
Plan some snacks: Offer a spread of bread, soup toppings, brunch bites, or little sweets. 
Offer drinks: Tasting soups is thirsty work! Put out some water, coffee, sparkling wine, or a pitcher cocktail.
Have labels and tags ready: If it’s a crowd of people who don’t know each other, do name tags! In case, everyone doesn’t label their soups. Have blank labels to put on soup containers.

Make swap cards: These cards stay with each soup and let people note if they’re interested in that soup. If someone loves a soup, they should write their name on the swap card to indicate they want it.

When it’s time to Swap Soups: The Soup Swap site suggests everyone pick numbers, and then go in order: The first person chooses a soup, then the next person, then the next, and then it all starts back over with the first person, until all the soups are distributed. A variation of this method is after each pick to pass your number to the person behind you. With the last # going to the first # in the previous round. This gives everyone a chance to pick first.
Another more hectic option, that works best when everyone knows each other, is for everyone to stand around the table behind their soup. Everyone then starts calling out names on their swap card. The first person to respond immediately gets a jar. Soup passes back and forth over the table, some people swapping directly; others giving soup to one person and then receiving one from another.

If you want people to stay after the swap, recommend that they bring coolers or put their soup in your refrigerator.

That’s it! Everyone goes home with 6 homemade quarts of soup to enjoy during the cold winter days ahead!

Whether you’ve been invited to a Soup Swap or just looking for a delicious soup for your family, I’ve put together some great recipes for you to try. If you got a great recipe to share, please add it to the linky below!

    
     

Make soup for the homeless:
Not everyone has the privilege of being invited to a soup swap party or having a home to host one. Homeless people face the challenge of surviving the cold weather this time of year and sharing soup with less privileged people is a great way to make the most out of soup swap day.

Holiday Coffee Time! Cella’s Chocolate Covered Cherries and Andes Mint Chocolate Coffee

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Just In Time For Your Holiday Coffee
Two Holiday Favorites Now Comes In Ground Bag Coffee!

The same delicious coffee that coffee pod users have been in love with for years is now available in a bag! Each 12-ounce bag is crafted with pride in the USA. These limited edition candy-flavored coffees are great to give as gifts or keep them all to yourself.

Cella’s Chocolate Covered Cherry Coffee

Mix a juicy, ripe cherry wrapped in a silky layer of premium chocolate with smooth coffee made from 100% premium arabica coffee beans and you’ve got one supremely satisfying cup of coffee, sip after delicious sip.

Giving and receiving a box of chocolate-covered cherries has been a Christmas tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. Juicy cherries, sweet liquefied sugar, and creamy chocolate; combined to make this beloved sweet treat. An indulgence, that we treat ourselves to once a year. Once that box was gone we had to wait until next year for their fruity, chocolatey goodness to cross our lips again. Then, Cella’s Chocolate Covered Cherry Coffee came into my life! This smooth rich coffee is infused with a hint of the chocolate and cherry goodness that we all love so much. Forget the doughnuts, this coffee tastes like you’ve dunked a chocolate-covered cherry into your cup!

Andes Mint Chocolate Coffee

Two Rivers Coffee brings you two classic after-dinner treats blended together in one delicious minty-chocolate beverage. With the fresh, cool flavor of Andes Mints combined with the rich bold taste of coffee, your taste buds are sure to feel the holiday spirit.

No need to muddle mint leaves to get the crisp cool taste of a great cup of iced mint coffee! Just brew up some of this rich Andes Mint Chocolate Coffee that is flavored with a hint of chocolate and minty goodness. Then, pour it over ice. Nine out of ten snowmen agree. And, they used the tenth one to make their iced coffee! If you love a good quality flavored coffee leaves you refreshed and satisfied! REJOICE and can grab a bag today!

As always, Two Rivers Coffee uses only premium Arabica coffee beans for these coffees. We enjoy the great taste that comes from their small-batch roasted coffee beans. And, they have blended each with just the right amount of flavor to give you a perfect cup of coffee.

This Holiday coffee time post was brought to you by:

Want these in single-serve pods? Check out these Andes Chocolate Mint and Cella’s Chocolate Cherry Flavored Coffee posts.

The wines we tried at our Tipxy Wine Tasting Party

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We brought together our favorite people for an amazing wine tasting party, complete with food, fun, and, of course, great wine!

   

Quatre C 2018 by Domaine de Papolle

The first of the six wines at our wine tasting that I would like to introduce you to is a Domaine de Papolle white wine. This French wine was one of my favorites. At first, you taste a hint of sweetness followed by a punch of citrus at the end. Although flavorful, it was the least aromatic of all the wines we tasted. 

TASTING NOTES: Clear and bright, with a light pale yellow color on grey golden reflections. The 1st nose is intense with a hint of citrus fruits such as orange, Chinese grapefruit, slightly floral. It is clear and round, almost sweet. Agitation reveals mango and yellow kiwi aromas. Bright, tonic, and clear foretaste. The tasting is then really aromatic with a hint of lemon sorbet and mango. Fresh and festive, this wine can be served as well as an aperitif or as a complement to shellfish, fish, white meats, and cheeses (hard cheeses with character or goat cheese).

ABV 11.50%
Country: France
Region: Cotês de Gascogne

Finca Las Cabras Crianza Red Wine by Cuna de Reyes

This was the second of the two red wines at our wine tasting.  This red wine by Cuna de Reyes is from 30+ year-old vineyards in the Rioja Alta region of Spain. This is one of the smoothest red wines I’ve ever tasted. Your nose is tempted with a hint of the barrels in which the wine was stored. And, then as you take your first sip, your palate is pleased with the sweet and smooth taste of this light-bodied wine.

TASTING NOTES: Ruby red with garnet hues and medium depth of color. Intense aromas of dark cherry with tobacco and wood notes. A fresh profile with hints of balsamic, incense, cinnamon, and liquorice. Elegant mouthfeel with fresh acidity, great structure, and fruit expression. Persistent length and saline finish reflecting the soil of the vineyard. This wine pairs well with lamb. And, all kinds of red and white meats, poultry, stews, cheeses, and vegetables.

ABV 13.50%
Country: Spain
Region: Rioja Alta

Tinto Garnacha/Tempranillo 2017 by Conde de Artoiz

This bold red wine from Spain has notes of exotic flowers and ripe fruits like red berries and cherry. I found that this wine by Conde de Artoiz has the soft tannins of a mature wine giving a pleasurable mouthfeel. It is a treat for both the nose and palate.

TASTING NOTES: Clean and bright with an intense ruby ​​red color. Well balanced, alive, ample, and fresh aromas. Potent notes of red fruit and soft tannins. As with many red wines, this one also pairs well with lamb.

ABV 13.50%
Country: Spain
Region: Navarra

Verdejo Selección Especial 2018 by Bodegas Mocén

This Bodegas Mocén white wine has an intense earthy smell followed by those of tree fruits like citrus and stone fruits. I found it to be slightly astringent making it just a bit more dry than sweet.

TASTING NOTES: A crisp and vibrant wine with hints of peach, baked apple, cut grass, and fennel. Perfect matching for fish, seafood, or white meats.

ABV: 13.00%
Country: Spain
Region: Rueda

Bestie Bubbly Rose’ by Andrea Maria Wines

This fruity wine from Andrea Maria Wines is made right here in the USA. This sparkling wine has a nice balance of sweetness and acidity with neither one being overpowering. It was the first bottle that was emptied as it was a favorite of three of the people at the wine tasting.

TASTING NOTES: Light and fruity with a refreshing dry champagne finish. It’s appealing to both sweet and dry wine drinkers making it the perfect bottle to share. Pairs well with meaty and oily fish.

ABV: 11.50%
Country: United States
Region: Lodi, CA

Bestie Bubbly Moscato by Andrea Maria Wines

I found this naturally fermented sparkling Moscato by Andrea Maria Wines to be a light and refreshing wine. Made from Muscat grapes this white wine is more sweet than dry and has a mixture of fruit and floral notes.

TASTING NOTES: A full grape Moscato flavor with floral aromas, and sweet light flavors of peach, apricot, and melon. It’s an exceptionally light and refreshing Moscato. It pairs well with spicy food, white fish, cheese, fruit, and desserts.

ABV: 11.50% 
Country: United States
Region: Lodi, CA

What are the 5 S’s of wine tasting? (see, swirl, sniff, sip, and savor)

What is your favorite wine?

What are the ideal temperatures to serve wine? Sparkling 40 – 55° White 45 – 60° Red 50 – 64°
What are wine legs? They are the tear-shaped drops and streaks that appear on the sides of a glass when you swirl the wine around or after you’ve taken a sip.

Broquet?! Jerky Bouquets Are The Perfect Manly Gift!

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What is a Broquet?

Man bouquets that are the perfect flowers for men.

In this case, we are referring to a combination of the words bouquet + bro (broquet, pronounced “bro-kay”), not the word for nozzle in the Catalan language. Made from beef jerky, beef sticks, and yes even bacon, these masculine arrangements arrive fully assembled in a custom-branded box and sealed with oxygen absorbers to remain fresh unopened.

A full dozen!! This bouquet’s “vase” is a Manly Man pint glass. The petals of the flowers are made with 100% beef. And, the flower stems are made from their beef sticks which are a mouthwatering blend of beef, pork, and spices. 

I’ve been lucky in the gift department and have been able to select several amazing gifts for my man that he loved. Over the years he’s received a guitar, artwork, all kinds of electronics, fishing gear, a K-Bar, and other USMC memorabilia but with each new occasion, I struggle to come up with something that I know he’ll love and appreciate. I don’t know why, but men are so much harder to buy for than women. It seems either don’t want or need anything or what they do want is so expensive that it’s nearly impossible for most of us to afford it.

Well, they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. And, recently I put that to the test when I gave this Manly Man broquet so my sweetheart of a man. This carnivore of great taste was shocked to find meat flowers staring back at him in the box! I think he was expecting tools so that he could do more work around the house. LOL

Thanks to the custom box, shrink wrap, and support disk Marcus’ meat bouquet arrived in perfect condition. He was kind enough to share one of the flowers with me. And, after some begging, I was able to talk him out of a second one. He happily ate the other ten himself. He loved them all, but the spicy ones were his favorite. One bite and I knew why it was so hard for him to give up the man goodies. Made with some of the highest quality meats you can find on the market, they are delicious!

These broquets are perfect for any occasion… Not just Holidays. Think of the possibilities, in addition to Father’s Day, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day these make great gifts for groomsmen, grooms, anniversaries, birthdays, graduations… Teachers and coaches would love to receive these as gifts, too!

Visit Manly Man to find the perfect gift for the Manly Man in your life TODAY!

“The Manliest, Meatiest, Bouquet Ever“ – The Food Network

They’re on a mission to save you the time and frustration when searching for a unique and intriguing gift men will love!

The Manly Man Company, a Veteran-Owned Business, boasts an ever-growing line of unique, custom, and curated gifts that include Meathearts™, Beef Jerky Flowers, Bacon Roses, Meat Cards™, Single Malt Scotch Caramel Heart Tin, Manly Scented Gift Wrapping Paper, Manly Gift Sets, MAN CARD bottle openers, and Tactical Christmas Stocking Kits.

The Manly Man Company is giving us one of their amazing Broquets to give away to one of our readers!!
Please check out the giveaway (you’ll find it in our right sidebar starting October 1, 2021) and be sure to show them some love on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, too.